Lee Bell felt referee Sunny Singh Gill “spoilt the game” after Crewe missed the chance to move into the League Two play-off places following a 1-1 draw with Salford.
City broke the deadlock in the 12th minute when Ben Woodburn scored his first goal for the club with a cool finish past Filip Marschall after Kylian Kouassi allowed Haji Mnoga’s pass to run through his legs.
However, Crewe deservedly drew level after 26 minutes when Ryan Cooney headed in Zac Williams’ floated cross from the left at the back post to score his first league goal.
The Railwaymen twice went close to winning the game as Salford goalkeeper Jamie Jones produced magnificent finger-tip saves to deny Shilow Tracey and substitute Owen Lunt late on.
However, Crewe boss Bell was left frustrated by a number of decisions made by Gill which he felt disrupted the flow of the game.
Bell said: “He (the referee) wasn’t great was he? I had a conversation with him about some of the things that go on off the ball and he didn’t do anything about it because he lost control of the game which spoils it a little bit.
“We couldn’t believe some the things that were going on for either team. It spoilt the game really.
“It was a messy game, they (Salford) are ever so good at doing that and spoiling how you want to play, we started really well and their goal deflated us a little bit, it was a real scrappy affair.
“The players stood up to absolutely everything, their discipline was key because I’m pretty sure my discipline wouldn’t have been great if I was on that pitch with some of the things that were going against them.
“I’m just pleased with the character the players showed, we did try to play at times and we had an outlet, we’ll take a point and move on.”
Salford remain winless on the road this season and manager Karl Robinson wants his team to improve in the final third.
Robinson said: “I felt we were the better team, I’m challenging the team, ‘have we got that steeliness yet?’ I feel like it’s almost there.
“When we’re on top in games, getting that second goal will make all the difference to us, we just don’t seem to get it at the right time. It’s that final third now, self-confidence, self-belief, I can smell it though, it’s coming.
“The growth of us, the birth of us, our DNA is young, athletic players who want to fight for each other and play with an edge but we’ve got to find a calmness and a better end product.
“We’ve settled on a shape now but we’ve got to make sure we make it a shape other teams can’t compete with.
“I’ve said so many times, you win the next game and that point becomes an outstanding point, it becomes a rubbish one if we don’t.”
Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledged no one at Nottingham Forest expected to be third in April but backed his team to embrace the challenge after they started a huge week with victory at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth in the Premier League after weekend wins for Champions League qualification rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa, yet responded with aplomb in the capital.Early efforts...
Chris Wood’s 19th goal of the season fired Nottingham Forest back up to third in the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth after the weekend’s results, but Nuno Espirito Santo savoured a sweet three points against old club Spurs after early goals from Elliot Anderson and Wood in the capital.It brought Ange Postecoglou’s team back down to earth aft...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted his players for holding their nerve after a 6-0 home win against Stoke helped seal promotion back to the Premier League.Joel Piroe scored four goals, including Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick, with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gn...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill sent the Clarets back into the Premier League with both goals in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United that also saw Leeds promoted and left the Blades relying on the play-offs.Scott Parker made it three promotions with three different clubs in the space of six seasons as Burnley extended their unbeaten league run to a club-record 31 games, bouncing straight back to the Pr...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill joked the Clarets had “bored our way to the Premier League” after a 2-1 win at home to Sheffield United confirmed their return to the top flight at the first attempt.Scott Parker’s side have conceded just 15 goals in 44 matches and victory over their promotion rivals ensured they could not be caught with two matches remaining.“I’m speech...
West Brom have announced the departure of Tony Mowbray after the club’s play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 Championship defeat at home to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes...
Ian Holloway emphasised his pride in his resurgent Swindon side, despite Will Wright’s own goal against Bromley ending their slim play-off hopes.Danny Imray nutmegged Tom Nichols on the byline and fired a low ball into the box which bounced off the hapless defender’s shin in the 88th minute, condemning the Robins to a 1-0 loss.Kabongo Tshimanga had earlier missed a first-half penalty f...
Grant McCann admitted the task ahead for him is to keep his players calm after Doncaster put themselves within touching distance of promotion with a 3-0 win over Colchester.Goals from Harry Clifton, Jordan Gibson and Patrick Kelly saw Rovers power into top spot in League Two.It means a victory over promotion rivals Bradford this weekend will see them promoted to League One but McCann is determined...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted four-goal Joel Piroe after his side thrashed Stoke 6-0 at Elland Road to stand on the brink of Premier League promotion.Piroe fired Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gnonto headed Leeds’ sixt...
Tony Mowbray felt West Brom “lacked a bit of courage on the ball” as their play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes until ...
- 1 Jordan Bowery earns Mansfield a point at Rotherham
- 2 Grant McCann to keep Doncaster players calm despite being on brink of promotion
- 3 Four Tottenham stars could leave this summer
- 4 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 5 PL side eyeing summer move for Rashford
- 6 Mentality and spirit unbelievable – Daniel Farke praises promoted Leeds players
- 7 Newcastle continue to impress in absence of Eddie Howe with Crystal Palace rout
- 8 Man City in pole position to secure Morgan Gibbs
- 9 Liverpool interested in signing Mason Greenwood
- 10 Cole Palmer’s girlfriend Connie Grace dazzles in low-cut top and mini skirt