MANDRON’S DOUBLE INSPIRES ALEX
CREWE Alex secured a 2-0 victory at MK Dons yesterday.
Mikael Mandron scored twice in the space of five first-half minutes to set the Alex on the way to an impressive success.
It was also the ideal response after Crewe suffered injury-time heartache in losing 2-1 to League One leaders Hull City on Friday.
Alex boss Dave Artell told the club’s website after the game: “We were good and we deserved to win the game. Their staff are saying that we are the best team we have played twice, so that is very complimentary.
“Grant Mccann (Hull City boss) was very complimentary on Friday as well and we didn’t deserve to lose that one but we put that right today. It was a proper game of football and no-one got neck ache today. I like Russell (Martin) a lot and the way his side plays. He has his philosophy and they play good football.
“I didn’t think there is much to choose by ourselves, Hull, who played on Friday and the MK Dons but it is all to do with taking chances. We are fourth or fifth for chances created but not for chances converted and that is the area where we can improve.
“We scored two and it should have been more. Kirky could have a hat-trick on another day and Mikael could have had at least another one to make it a hattrick. Our goalkeeper then has to make some saves at the end and it shouldn’t have come to that. We should have been out of sight.
“You know that when you come here you have to work hard and manipulate the ball well. We had a game plan and the players executed it. It is all down to them and they deserve all the plaudits coming their way.
“I thought we thoroughly deserved the win, for the amount of times we got in behind them and the chances we created and if someone had offered me 2-0 before the game, I would snapped your hand off, so I won’t complain.”
The Alex broke the deadlock after 15 minutes.
Tom Lowery won possession in the middle of the park and instigated a Crewe break led by Charlie Kirk. He found Mandron, who took a touch before slotting the ball into the net.
And it was 2-0 just moments later. Once again Kirk was involved as he found Mandron in space to neatly finish past MK Dons keeper Andrew Fisher.
MK Dons did have their moments, though, with former Stoke City striker Cameron Jerome guilty of their biggest miss.
He waltzed past Alex keeper Will Jaaskelainen, but could only hit the post with his effort.
Crewe always carried the greater threat and could have added to their tally, but Fisher was in fine form in the home goal.
The victory lifts Crewe up to 14th in the table.