Steve Davis sets 76-point target for Crewe Alexandra

Crewe have taken 20 points from their 10 league matches under Davis

Crewe manager Steve Davis has set his team a target of 76 points this season, which he believes will be enough for the Alex to reach the play-offs.

A third successive win against struggling Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday lifted Crewe to within three points of seventh-placed Oxford.

"A realistic target would be two points a game," Davis told BBC Radio Stoke.

"That would give us about 76 points and I think that would be enough to get into the play-offs."

The Crewe boss continued: "I think the players need to play with that little bit of pressure in the back of their minds.

"I can't have any complaints, over the last three games certainly, and since I started the job. I've no complaints about their commitment and their effort to turn things around."

The Alex have now taken 20 points from their 10 League Two matches under Davis, who replaced Dario Gradi as manager in November.

Crewe beat Dagenham 4-1 on Saturday, with teenager Nick Powell capping off a successful week with his seventh goal of the season in stoppage time.

On Thursday, the 17-year-old picked up the Football League's Young Player of the Month for December.

"It was ironic that just as they were announcing the man of the match award (which Powell won), the ball broke to him and he dinked it over the keeper," said Davis.

"That's what he can do, that's his composure and his ability in front of goal. The confidence that he's playing with at the moment is a different class.

"I'm more than pleased with him because his contribution's excellent at the moment."