Bell cites squad depth as Crewe miss play-off shot

Crewe Alexandra boss Lee Bell has pointed to a lack of squad depth after defeat by MK Dons confirmed they would miss out on this season's League Two play-offs.

Alex finished 13th last season, after missing out in the play-offs the previous season, and have been in and around the top seven for most of this campaign.

But a run of three defeats in four, capped by a 3-1 home reverse to the promotion-chasing Dons, left Bell's side seven points behind seventh-placed Chesterfield with two games to go.

"Matus Holicek shouldn't have been on the pitch for the last four weeks and people are tired - Max Sanders, James Connolly, people like that," Bell told BBC Radio Stoke.

"The squad depth at times has meant we've just fallen short, but I think there's some good things to be had this season.

"We've got a couple of games to go and then we'll put all the bits and bobs together that we feel have improved and not improved and what we've got to do in terms of players for next season."

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Despite the disappointment, Bell has asked his players to show professionalism in their final two games - both of which could determine promotion issues for other sides.

They head to Chesterfield on Saturday before a final day home clash with Cambridge, who are third and locked in a race for automatic promotion with Notts County, Salford and Swindon.

Bell added: "We haven't been able to take it to the second-to-last game or the last game of the season, but as a person you have a decision to make, whether you coast for the next two weeks or if we'll have a go at it against Chesterfield and against Cambridge on the last game of the season.