CREWE boss Steve Davis credited Town’s pair of sharpshooting forwards as the difference between the two sides at Gresty Road.

Nicky Ajose, starting his second spell as a Swindon Town player, and Wes Thomas, making his debut for the club, both scored with their second attempts on goal.

Both will lament spurning opportunities presented to them earlier in the game. Thomas missed the target when found well-positioned inside the box early in the first half.

Ajose missed an even more presentable chance in the second half, placing his shot at an open goal wide from 35 yard, having successfully closed down Alex stopper Ben Garratt.

However, in comparison to their Crewe counterparts, they were clinical. The home side created and wasted a number of good chances to score, either firing off-target or finding Town stopper Lawrence Vigouroux in good form.

Davis could not fault his own players for their efforts, instead identifying Town’s strikers as the main antagonists in Crewe’s downfall.

“Swindon bought those two (Ajose and Thomas) in and they are prolific or renowned goalscorers and it made the difference. It was the difference between the teams really,” said Davis. “They had similar chances to us; what they had and what they scored from. We just didn’t have that quality and what we needed at the end of it.

“I thought it was a high-standard game. Both teams played good football, with players of quality and skill. I knew it would be that kind of game - a game of chess. We would have to be cautious and organised and when we got opportunities, we would have to play.

“Second half, I thought it was a game we could have won and should have won. Going 1-0 up and having that advantage we didn’t make that count - that was disappointing.”