CREWE Alexandra boss Dave Artell says Scunthorpe United “sold them down the river” over the loan signing of striker Jonny Margetts.

The 23-year-old signed for The Alex until the end of the season and was due to start on the bench in Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Exeter City.

However, a FIFA ruling preventing players representing three clubs in one season forced Artell to hastily alter his squad.

After starting the season with National League side Lincoln City, Margetts joined Scunthorpe in August and made two appearances for them before arriving at Gresty Road on transfer deadline day.

He has now returned to Glandford Park and Artell was understandably frustrated at the turn of events.

“Scunthorpe shouldn’t have put him up for loan, Scunthorpe have sold the lad and us down the river,” he told crewealex.net.

“We then do our due diligence, find it out and when we phone them in the morning they say ‘yes we already know, it’s a bit late for that now.’ “They shouldn’t have put him up for loan, that’s the bottom line. We chose one of two or three players who have been caught.

“Am I angry? Angry’s not the right word. I’m disappointed for the lad, certainly. It could have played out a whole different way.”

Saturday’s heavy defeat in Devon continued Crewe’s alarming slide towards the League Two relegation zone, over which they have a four-point cushion in 21st.

After Jordan Moore-Taylor had put the Grecians ahead, George Cooper was denied an equaliser by an astonishing double save by home stopper Christy Pym.

The Alex collapsed in the second half as David Wheeler struck twice before the win was rounded off by Lloyd James late on.

Artell’s side also had substitute Charlie Kirk dismissed for a dangerous tackle on Jake Taylor and he will serve the first of a three-game ban in Saturday’s home game against Grimsby Town, kick off 3pm.

The Alex boss has warned his players to cut out the individual mistakes or face dropping out of the Football League.

“Individual errors have cost us and we have got to stop making them. It’s those misplaced headers, passes, and being better in both boxes,” he said.

“To say we are disappointed, is an understatement.

“I know where we are at. I had it as a player at Shrewsbury and I know what it is about down at the bottom, maybe some of our players have to learn that.

“They have two choices. They can listen and learn or they will have a relegation on their CV and a costly one at that.

“We are in a real dogfight and they have been told. This shows that there is plenty of work to do be done from all of us.”