Tough nut to crack: Crewe boss Lee Bell happy with point at stubborn Tranmere

Posted Sunday, February 04, 2024 by PA

Lee Bell was more than happy to see his Crewe side add a point to their Championship tally following a scrappy draw with Tranmere at Prenton Park.

The Railway men were not without their chances and their best opportunity came after the interval, when Chris Long was brilliantly denied by Luke McGee in the Rovers’ goal

The draw leaves Crewe two points off the automatic promotion places, and Bell felt it was a good result at a tricky venue.

“It’s our first goalless draw of the season and Tranmere away is a tough nut to crack,” he said.

“I thought we were good in the first half and probably the better team. We got into some good positions in the first 25 minutes but couldn’t create a really good chance to get an opportunity on goal.

“The second half was more of a scrappy affair and we weren’t able to keep up the good work we showed in the first. Then we came up with the only real clear-cut chance of the game and the goalkeeper made an unbelievable save to deny Chris Long.

“But if you can’t win the game, and we tried with all the attacking players we had on the pitch, then you make sure you get what you can.

“Full credit to Tranmere as they came into the game in the second half but we’ll take a point and look forward to next week.”

Rovers also caught sight of goal several times, with Connor Jennings and Rob Apter coming close while Brad Walker almost won it in stoppage time with a long-range effort that flashed past the post

Tranmere boss Nigel Adkins said: “It was a competitive game and they are riding high in the league and you can see why. I’m really pleased.

“The first half an hour was a challenge for us but we stayed in the game and had to work a few things out and finished the first half really well.

“We then started the second half really strongly and on the front foot and gave ourselves a chance to win the game.

“It was our first clean sheet for a long, long time and we’ll take that as a positive because we are hard to play against and are competitive.

“I knew it would be a tough game with Crewe being where they are in the table, but we made it a tough game for them too, and I’m really pleased with the players’ attitude and performance today.”