Crewe boss Lee Bell was delighted an aggressive approach from his side paid off as they ended a run of three straight defeats with a 2-0 victory at Doncaster.
Goals from Courtney Baker-Richardson and Connor O’Riordan secured a first away win since November for Alex.
Bell said: “I told the players I expected them to win this game and the first half was as good as we have been this season.
“We put them right on the back foot by pressing high from the start with excellent energy levels and I’m delighted the game plan got us a lead at half-time.
“We wanted to make the game exciting and dominate them by getting in their faces and I thought there were improved performances throughout the team, especially in the middle of the park.”
Bell was also pleased with the effort of Baker-Richardson, who completed his first 90 minutes since suffering a hamstring injury in November.
He added: “He did extremely well to get through the game.
“While the plan was not to give him 90 minutes, we were desperate to win and I thought the best way of getting the three points was keeping him on the pitch.”
Rovers head coach Danny Schofield labelled his side’s first half showing as “nowhere near good enough” as they fell to a sixth defeat from nine.
Schofield criticised his players’ physical competitiveness against Alex, which left them with a mountain to climb heading into the second half.
He has implored his squad to find the fight in the remaining games of the season.
“It was a disappointing performance,” he said.
“The first-half performance was nowhere near good enough. To come in at half-time 2-0 down was below the level we need to be in order to compete, never mind win games.
“In the second half I thought it was much improved but Crewe managed the game in terms of slowing the game down and putting the ball into certain areas which is understandable.
“We didn’t do enough in attack for the possession we had in the second half to get back into the game.
“We physically lost the game in terms of the individual physical capability of the players in duels – we didn’t sprint hard enough to balls, we didn’t get enough contacts or those explosive moments like passing and running in behind. Crewe were much better than us at that in the first half.
“The individual errors are disappointing but that physical aspect is the biggest concern for me.
“It’s down to the player to be as competitive as possible within his physical capabilities. We need to be able to win the duels, get body contact, sprint in behind and sprint back to recover.”
