Dave Artell believes sending off had no impact in Crewe’s win over Morecambe

Posted Sunday, November 24, 2019 by PA

Crewe boss Dave Artell did not think Morecambe skipper Sam Lavelle’s first-half dismissal had any impact on his side’s 5-0 win.

Lavelle received a straight red card from referee Martin Coy after 34 minutes following a lunge on full-back Harry Pickering deep in the home half.

Crewe were already two ahead through Oli Finney’s header and a deflected effort from Tommy Lowery and they swarmed over The Shrimps’ depleted numbers with Charlie Kirk adding a third before the break and Ryan Wintle and Finney, again, netting in the second half.

It was a first win in four games for Crewe who are back in the top three and Artell said: “I thought we were good and I don’t think the sending off changed much. To be honest 5-0 flattered Morecambe as we hit the post in the first half and in the second and we had shots blocked and cleared off the line.

“It could have been more, but I will take five. I can’t remember them touching our box that was how dominant we were. But you can only beat what is in front of you.”

Finney directed a powerful header home in the 22nd minute after Wintle lofted over the box, although Lowery enjoyed a slice of luck when a big deflection left Mark Halstead wrong-footed for the second nine minutes later.

Four minutes after Lavelle’s red card, Kirk whipped a curler home and Morecambe were fortunate not to turn around three down as Lowery and Pickering hit the frame.

Wintle found the top corner with a thumper in the 58th minute after which Crewe eased off in the final half an hour with an eye on their top-of-the-table clash at Forest Green on Tuesday.

But they still posed a threat and Kirk hit the post before Finney grabbed his second in stoppage time.

“Oli has been patient, too patient, but he has kept scoring goals for the under-23s and he was terrific today,” added Artell. “We are doing well but you don’t win anything in November and we have to make sure we stay in and around things and as high up as we can.”

It was a familiar tale for Morecambe who were thrashed 6-0 on their last visit to Gresty Road last August. For Derek Adams, it was his first defeat after three games in charge and he says he urgently needs to address his side’s -19 goal difference.

“We showed the players a video of the problems Crewe would create for us, but they didn’t deal with them,” said the Morecambe boss.

“Going down to 10 men we knew it was going to be a long afternoon. But I’ve seen footage and I don’t believe it was a sending off. He (Lavelle) has gone in with his left foot to kick the ball and his right foot is on the floor.”

And Adams pointed out: “It doesn’t need a rocket scientist to see where we’ve got to improve. I’ve seen a number of things. We have a squad that is unbalanced and the blend needs to be addressed in January.

“And while we have players who are doing very well others need to step up to the mark.”