Crewe boss Lee Bell praised Aston Villa youngster Tommi O’Reilly as he starred for League Two leaders Crewe as they made it three wins from three.
The 21-year-old loanee was outstanding as the Railwaymen maintained their impressive start to the campaign with a 1-0 victory over Crawley.
The midfielder could have added to a well-taken first-half finish when twice striking the bar in the second half.
“It was a really good goal from Tommi. He anticipated what was happening from the flick-on from Josh March and he finished well,” said Bell.
“Tommi has been good since he’s been here and what I do like about him is his work rate. He will need to continue with that, but there is no doubt that the boy has got some talent.
“I’m delighted that three games in we’ve got nine points, but we’ve got lots of work to do as it was a nervy finish and we wouldn’t have had that if we’d taken our chances.
“We still need a couple more players in as I’m shoehorning people into positions when we’re making changes.”
After loan spells in League One last season, O’Reilly looks to have found his feet a league below and the youngster’s skill on the ball was evident when he seized onto March’s flick and drove a finish past keeper Harvey Davies.
Davies, who spent part of the 2023-24 season on loan with Crewe, was beaten again by O’Reilly in the second half when a fierce left-footer and a neatly clipped free-kick both struck the woodwork.
Crawley, without a point so far, improved after the break and had a few sights of goal in the closing stages.
Striker Kaheim Dixon, on loan from Charlton, was a threat when he came on, although he ended a thrilling run by shooting straight at the keeper.
Crawley boss Scott Lindsey said: “We’re not a team that keeps hold of players. Players get sold and we’re always looking like a new team and it is down to me to coach the new players as quickly as I can to look like we did the year before and the year before that.
“We’re very skinny on numbers – in my opinion we’re three or four light in terms of the squad so we need to recruit quickly.
“I think we could still have got something from the game as we were the better team in the second half and I was pleased with the way we finished.
“Kaheim was outstanding. We picked him up on the coach yesterday and it did look as though we might have to drop him off as the loan had not been done. But we’re delighted we’ve got him as he was a real bright spark.”
