David Artell reveals strong team-talk led to Crewe dismantling Salford
Posted Sunday, September 22, 2019 by PA
David Artell says his Crewe players benefited from a strong half-time team-talk as they ultimately conquered Salford’s defensive approach and earned an emphatic 4-1 comeback win.
The high-flying Railwaymen fell behind when Adam Rooney punished young goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen’s handling error in a first-half in which the Ammies strung five across the back to frustrate their hosts.
But an explosive spell of three goals in the first 17 minutes of the second half saw Crewe roar back with Chris Porter, Tommy Lowery and Harry Pickering on target before Lowery completed the rout.
Artell revealed: “Kenny Lunt (assistant manager) had a go at the players at half-time and tried to help them understand how Salford were stopping us.
“Last season going behind was often terminal for us and we didn’t have the ability to come from behind. But we’ve been able to do that plenty this season and it is another string to our bow.
“Will (Jaaskelainen) made a mistake, but he helped get us three points last Tuesday at Orient with a great save and didn’t let it affect him. This time the lads have dug him out of a hole.”
Crewe’s attacking credentials have steered them to second in the League Two table, but they struggled to break down Salford before the break.
When Jaaskelainen dropped Ibou Touray’s cross it presented Rooney with a simple close-range finish five minutes before half-time.
But Crewe’s subdued first-half display was in contrast to the blistering start they made to the second period.
Porter levelled when he headed in Ryan Wintle’s cross and then Owen Dale thumped the Salford post.
When the visitors were exposed down the middle, Lowery flicked the ball over the last man and clipped past Kyle Letheren.
Pickering then lit rip into the top corner from 20 yards and Lowery completed the rout when finishing into an empty net after Letheren pushed out Charlie Kirk’s shot.
Artell added: “Goals change games. We worked before on the way they would set up and Harry (Pickering) shooting from those positions and obviously Tom’s goal is an excellent one.
“He flicked the ball over the lad’s head and beat the keeper. It was a tremendous bit of skill.”
Salford boss Graham Alexander lamented the manner in which Porter was left free to level for Crewe and said it was the trigger for the undoing of all his side’s positive first-half work.
“We were in complete control in the first half at 1-0 up and doing what we had planned to do. But we conceded a terrible goal early in the second half and for one reason or another we let go of everything we had worked on,” said Alexander.
“There was no pressure or anything and we even started the second half better than them. It is a mentality issue for me and we have to find the answer as we can’t play as well as we did in the first half to have a negative action go against us like it did.”
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