Lee Bell praises Crewe after late comeback against Tranmere

Lee Bell praised Crewe’s players for not losing their heads after they trailed out-of-form Tranmere until the closing stages at the Mornflake Stadium.

The Railwaymen hit back to conjure up a morale-boosting 2-1 win, which keeps them in sixth spot in League Two.

Conor Thomas cancelled out James Plant’s first-half opener for Rovers and a stoppage-time free-kick routine was finished off by Josh March as Crewe made it five wins from the last seven games.

“I thought we were worthy winners. Tranmere sat deep and we needed to be calm as it was about trying to break them down,” said Alex boss Bell. “We should have had a penalty in the first half as it was a foul on Josh (March) which then led to their goal.

“I told them to keep calm at half-time and the players showed some real quality for the goals – the second was a really well-worked set piece. I always tell them to get it in behind and Josh took it really well.

“Conor is good at arriving in the box and he sorted his feet out well and finished off. You’re always hoping for those moments of quality and it was our finishing that got us that win.

“We’re getting some players back now and it was great to see Jack Lankester back on the pitch. But we’ve got to keep our feet firmly on the ground, although a win like this breeds belief and it shows a real togetherness as we’ve not done that many times at home.”

Those home fans expecting a routine win with Tranmere making the short trip to South Cheshire on the back of a 5-0 thumping at Notts County were frustrated as Andy Crosby’s side offered more resilience at the back in both halves.

Rovers have now lost nine of their last 10 games and manager Crosby admitted: “It was hard to take and a desperately disappointing end to the game. We didn’t stop a cross and then we didn’t mark in the box – when you fail to do that ultimately you get punished.

“We surrendered possession, but I thought we looked more threatening in the first half. There wasn’t a lot in the game and we got a goal in the way we prepared.

“The longer the game went on the deeper we got and that is when problems arose. We had our moments and the players stuck at their tasks.

“But we’ve only got ourselves to blame for how that game ended.”