ANGRY BELL SLAMS LIFELESS ALEX AFTER ROBINS SECURE AWAY WIN

By Gwyn Griffiths

CREWE ALEX’ 2

Hemmings 45 (pen), Agius 90+4

CREWE: Marschall 5, O’Riordan 6, Demetriou 7, Williams 6,
Billington 6, Lowery 6 (Lunt 46, 6), Sanders 7, Powell 6 (Thibaut
69, 6), Conway 7, Bogle 6 (Agius 70, 7), Hemmings 7. Subs not
used: Booth, Cooney, Knight-Lebel, Sant.

CHELTENHAM T 3

Miller 22, Thomas 78, Dulson 86

CHELTENHAM: Day 6, Jude-Boyd 8, Stubbs 8, Bradbury 7, Thomas
7 (Bakare 87), Kinsella 7, Bennett 6 (Dulson 75, 7), Archer 6,
Haynes 6 (Adedokun 69, 7), Backwell 6, Miller 7 (Taylor 75, 6).
Subs not used: Diallo, Tustin, Hay.

Att: 4,939 Rating: ★★★★★ Ref: Declan Bourne 7/10

LEE BELL took a swipe at his Crewe players after their play-off hopes suffered a huge blow thanks to a listless defeat at home to Cheltenham.

The Robins ended a four-game losing run in style, but the Railwaymen have now won just once in eight outings as their season threatens to tamely peter out. George Miller put Town ahead, before Ryan Haynes missed a penalty for the visitors. Kane Hemmings levelled

from the spot, but late goals from Jordan Thomas and Liam Dulson sealed it, before Calum Agius hit a consolation.

Bell said: “I’m really clear about what I need to do to move this club forward. The players have got to understand what they’ve done and what has got us in the position we are in. I’ve asked them to come and see me if they feel they’ve not got what we need to get there. I didn’t see enough effort, although they might have been lacking a bit of confidence.

“I fully appreciate how the fans will feel and I will stand and take the flak that is coming my way, but some of the players have to take responsibility – we’ve got senior players on the pitch. It’s got to be a lot better.”

Miller’s header inside the six-yard box flew into the net off the turf for the opener which was made possible by some excellent work by Arkell Jude-Boyd who tore past his marker to deliver a telling cross.

Crewe were in more trouble when Lewis Billington was adjudged to have handled a cross into the area, but Haynes thumped his penalty against the bar.

A trip by Tommy Backwell l on Hemmings saw Crewe level with the veteran striker blasting the spot-kick k down the middle.

Poor defending saw Crewe fall behind again in the 78th minute when sub Valintino Adedokun drove the ball back across the box and

Thomas squeezed a far-post finish from a tight angle.

Sub Dulson cut infield and drove home a super finish off the far post from 25 yards out to kill the game in the 86th minute, before youngster Agius hit an angled drive home.

Cheltenham assistant boss Aaron Downes said: “We had done everything we needed to do in the first half and at half-time the boys knew there was a game to be won.

“We showed our capabilities in the second half when the game got stretched.

“Credit to the subs who came on as they did a super job.”