Crewe boss warns his side cannot take a day off against MK Dons

Promotion hopefuls Crewe Alexandra cannot afford to 'have a game off' as the battle at the top of the League Two table heats up in the final couple of months of the season, said their manager Lee Bell.

The Railwaymen head to Stadium MK on Saturday to take on MK Dons, who they leapfrogged in the standings from fifth into fourth on Tuesday night. Separated by goal-difference, the match at MK1 is shaping up to be a six-pointer, but every game between now and the end of the season will be, according to Bell.

Speaking after their 1-0 defeat to Grimsby Town on Tuesday, Dons midfielder Lewis Bate said they need to win each of their remaining eight games to secure promotion, and Alex boss Bell echoed those sentiments.

He said: "It's happening throughout the fixture list at the moment, with a lot of fixtures meaning high stakes for a lot of teams. They're all big games, and we have to have that mentality. We cannot afford a game off."

Crewe ended a two-game losing run with a 1-0 win over Sutton United on Tuesday night to lift them ahead of Mike Williamson's side and to within three points of the automatic promotion spots. And taking on Dons, who have the second best home record in the division with just one league defeat at Stadium MK since Williamson took over in October, Bell believes it will be a match-up against two similar teams.

He said: "They're a good footballing team, who are set up really well. Looking at the stats, they keep the ball well, progress up the pitch with good technical players. They've got similar types of players to us.

"Going away from home is always tough in this division, but we'll be at it, prepared well and hopefully it's an exciting game.

"They started the season really well under Graham (Alexander) but it got away from them a bit. They've brought Mike in, who did really well at Gateshead, and has transferred that style of play really quickly to MK. Their results speak for themselves."