Crewe manager Lee Bell saw his depleted side slip out of the League Two play-off places after a 1-1 draw at Newport but he was full of praise for their character and resilience at Rodney Parade.
Bell’s men drop to eighth in the table after a sixth game without a win in the league, but he was pleased to hang on for a draw after defender Zac Williams hobbled off with an ankle injury late on and could not be replaced as they had used all three substitution windows.
“I’m delighted to get a point in the end,” said Bell.
“To go down to 10 men and withstand everything they threw at us – it just shows the character of the players.
“It’s a group that’s sticking together.”
The visitors were 1-0 up three minutes after the break when Exiles defender Matt Baker and goalkeeper Nick Townsend got in a muddle trying to clear Courtney Baker-Richardson’s cross and Chris Long was on hand to tap in from close range.
But County were level on 64 minutes when substitutes James Waite and Matty Bondswell combined with Shane McLoughlan a minute after coming on to somehow work the ball to Will Evans, who slammed in his 17th goal of the season in all competitions.
“We just need that bit of luck,” added Bell. “I feel like I’ve done something wrong somewhere for this type of thing to be happening – injuries, illnesses and the poor goals we’re conceding.
“When teams cut you open you can accept it, but that was another avoidable goal.
“I thought for large parts of the game we were excellent. When we settled down, we produced some good football and I thought we’d go on to win the game – it was a scruffy goal to give away.”
Newport manager Graham Coughlan admitted it was not a great spectacle and blamed fatigue caused by the frantic festive fixture list.
“I would have liked three points, but I’m not 100 per cent sure we would have deserved it,” said the Irishman.
“It was two tired teams who lacked that little bit of energy and intensity – that’s a direct consequence of the number of games both sides have played over the Christmas period.
“We’ve got another one on Monday as well. It’s a tough period and it’s those who can dig deep and summon up that bit of energy from deep down who might come out on top.
“It wasn’t a great game, to be honest with you, and I think both teams looked flat.
“I think a draw was a fair result. I’m not sure either team did enough to win the game and both teams will take the point and move on.”
Keane doubts Man Utd will crack top four under Amorim this season
Roy Keane does not believe Manchester United will get back into the Premier League's top four under Ruben Amorim this season due to a "real lack of quality".
The Red Devils legend was speaking after United started life under the Portuguese with a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town, as Omari Hutchinson cancelled out Marcus Rashford's second-minute opener.
Keane acknowledged Amorim has to be given time to turn things around at Old Trafford, but does not see United cracking the top four this season.
"You have to give the man a chance," Keane told Sky Sports. "But the threat going forward, it's a huge problem for Man Utd. It's not good enough.
"Do I believe they have the quality to get them back to top four? Absolutely not. The evidence is not there. It's the same old stuff. Predictable and a real lack of quality."
United created 0.9 xG compared to Ipswich's 1.75 and had fewer shots on target (four) compared to Ipswich (six) at Portman Road.
They did have more touches in the opposition box (16 to 11) but had fewer final-third entries (48 to 61) and big chances created (two to three).
Ipswich were extremely resilient opponents after their early setback, and Tractor Boys boss Kieran McKenna praised his side, particularly Hutchinson after he grabbed his first Premier League goal.
"I thought he (Hutchinson) was a big threat first half, naturally more a winger, but most teams are going to press us high and in the spaces in the middle of the pitch having a dribbler in the middle of the pitch who's elusive and hard to pick up can be a big threat," he told Sky Sports.
"I think it's his first goal in the Premier League he'll be happy to have that of his back and he's improving."
"The first half, it's a blow to concede the early goal but I thought as the half went on we grew in the ascendancy, and the intensity of pressing and work on the ball.
"I thought we were the dominant team in the first half and deserved to be going in at least level. Second half in fairness, Man Utd had more control. It was difficult, we had to defend with real discipline on shape."
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
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