09 March 2021

Andy Butler tells Doncaster players to learn from defeat at Crewe

09 March 2021

Andy Butler insisted Doncaster will learn lessons from failing to land a punch on Crewe as the new Rovers boss tasted defeat for the first time.

Doncaster lacked a clinical edge up top at Gresty Road, where they had to make do without Omar Bogle, who Butler revealed has joined Fejiri Okenabirhie in the treatment room after picking up a hamstring injury.

Without a recognised frontman, chances fell in the first half to full-back Reece James but he was thwarted by keeper Dave Richards and young defender Rio Adebisi.

Crewe had more potency in the final third, although their winning goal struck by Mikael Mandron in the 56th minute was the Frenchman’s first since Boxing Day.

Butler – in his third game since taking over from the departed Darren Moore – admitted his side lacked a focal point up front with midfielder Madger Gomes forced to play a lone role.

“Playing from the back is hard and Omar and Fejiri give us a presence. But the players gave everything and their attitude was spot on, it was just their final pass in the final third that was missing,” said Butler.

“Crewe looked to counter on our mistakes. I thought it was marginally offside for their goal.

“But I believe we are still in a decent position and there is no need to be too downhearted about the result. You can win games without learning anything, but we learn from this kind of result.

“Crewe are a decent side at home and a draw would have been a fair result as both sides kind of nullified each other. We didn’t create much until the last 10 minutes when I thought we might have equalised.

“Overall it is a frustrating evening, but we’ve got to regroup and go again.”

Crewe’s impressive home record is keeping them in touch with the top six and they have now extended their unbeaten run at Gresty Road to 11 games, seven of which have been won.

After Luke Murphy and Owen Dale went close in the first half, Mandron struck the decisive blow when he took Kirk’s pass and drove a fine finish into the bottom corner.

Alex boss Dave Artell said: “To go 11 games unbeaten at home is a great run and the last defeat here back in November against Gillingham was a travesty too.

“It’s a hard place to come to this season and we’ve got to make sure it remains that way.

“I can’t remember any moments when we got away with it. Doncaster didn’t open us up, but we got in some great positions and they had to do a lot of last-ditch defending.

“Good teams don’t have two bad games on the run, so it was good to bounce back from losing at Lincoln.

“We changed to 4-3-3 because we’d played that way at their place and it worked as we beat them, but that doesn’t mean we’d have lost playing the other way (4-4-2).”

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