Crewe players 'learnt' from past failures - Holíček

Crewe Alexandra midfielder Matúš Holíček insists the team are stronger mentally as they once again push for promotion from League Two.

Saturday's 2-1 home win against play-off rivals Oldham Athletic made it back-to-back victories which have taken them back into the top seven with six games to play.

Lee Bell's side lost the 2023-2024 play-off final against Crawley Town at Wembley and were inside the automatic places in January 2025 before finishing 13th.

"I think we've learnt a lot from those previous seasons, and this is a really good opportunity for us," Holíček told BBC Radio Stoke. "We just need to grab it with both hands.

"It's important to have momentum in these last few games. Every game is a cup final, as people say. We just have to prepare well and hopefully pick up more points.

"It's really good to be involved in such a situation again. Obviously we've been in this position two seasons in a row, and this is the third one."

Crewe's remaining fixtures begin with two matches in four days over Easter, away to midtable Accrington Stanley on Good Friday before the visit of play-off rivals Salford City on Easter Monday.

The 21-year-old has been impressed with the hunger of the whole squad despite previous disappointments.

"You can notice it in training. The lads are working hard and looking after themselves. We just want to win all the games remaining.

"We have to prepare really well, and hopefully we can pick up six points in those two Easter games."

Slovakian Under-21 international Holíček is probably best placed amongst the Crewe squad to understand the Railwaymen's loyal fanbase.

He joined the club academy aged nine and was awarded his first professional deal as a 17-year-old. He says scoring Saturday's stoppage-time winner at Gresty Road was a great moment: "It's a special feeling. I grew up near the stadium, so I'm a local lad who supported Crewe all my life.

"The ball fell into the right place, and I just hit it. To be honest, I've never caught one so well. I'm just so happy it went into the back of the net.

"I feel the fittest I've ever been, probably. It was a bit stop-start for me at the beginning of the season, but I'm happy that's past me now."