DAVE Artell was seething again after Crewe were on the end of another reckless challenge which failed to draw 'full punishment'.

Fortunately, Luke Murphy emerged unscathed after Peterborough's Frankie Kent's mid-pitch lunge, which only earned the defender a booking from referee Carl Boyeson.

After Oli Finney's season was ended prematurely at Shrewsbury Town last Tuesday night, Artell was understandably alarmed, but wasn't using the decision or a poor playing surface to deflect attention away from a below-par performance.

By the time of Kent's dreadful lunge, Crewe were trailing to two goals struck inside six first-half minutes from Sammie Szmodics and Jonson Clarke Harris.

Owen Dale missed a glorious chance to cut the arrears in the second-half, but Posh could have gone to win by a bigger margin as they claimed revenge for their defeat by the same scoreline at Gresty Road last November.

Artell declared: "The game should have changed. We've had a lad with a broken leg and we've just seen another broken leg tackle this afternoon and yet the referee gives a yellow card.

"If he doesn't think that's reckless and endangering an opponent - it's only because an experienced midfielder gets out of the way of it. It was a horrific challenge, but it's not an excuse it's just an observation and we've got to do better."

Artell drafted Billy Jones back at right-back and brought in Paderborn loanman Antony Evans for Finney in the middle of the park. But Crewe struggled to get going on a pitch resembling a paddy field in parts.

Szmodics skipped clear on the left to drill in the opener (25) and then set up Clarke-Harris for the second (31).

A triple change on the hour mark included the introduction of Middlesbrough loanee Stephen Walker whose cross the in-form Dale headed over from close in.

Siriki Dembele and sub Mo Eisa wasted later chances for Posh.

Artell fumed: "Goals change games and we conceded an identical goal twice which is criminal. It was disappointing and after that the game turned into a basketball match - we committed men which left gaps in behind.

"But we didn't do enough to get back into the game. Our decision making that was suspect and if we've got any aspirations this season we've got to do better."

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson said: "We could have scored more to perhaps kill the game off in the second half.

"We were aggressive and scored wo excellent goals. Sammie was brilliant. He scored one, created the other and his energy was superb.

"Everyone knows we have a heavy pitch, but that is not causing us any problems as far as our performances go."