Goals from Regan Griffiths and Billy Sass-Davies were not enough for Crewe Alexandra to get anything from a trip to Burnley, who extended their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions, in the Under-23 Professional Development League at Curzon Ashton’s Tameside Stadium.
Manager Alex Morris was named Sam Booth in goal as captain with a back 4 of Abdul Djalo, Travis Johnson, Sass-Davies and Nathan Woodthorpe in front of him. In midfield were Luke Offord, captain Josh Lundstram and Joe Robbins while Aaron Lomas and Griffiths played either side of Connor Heath. On the bench were goalkeeper Daniel Lloyd, Ethan Hartshorn, Jack Goodrich and Daniel Lokko.
The opening goal of the game saw Mace Goodridge curl one in following a quickly-taken free-kick from Phillips on 17 minutes before the lead was doubled 5 minutes with Joel Mumbongo scoring after an error from Johnson. The forward would add his second just before the half-hour after rounding Booth before the hosts would twice hit the post before the break, first through Koiki then a Glennon free-kick.
The Alex would reduce the deficit on 59 minutes through Griffiths’ penalty before Tunde Bayode would make it 4-1 a minute later. Sass-Davies would get one back with 25 to play but it was the hosts who were more likely to get the seventh goal of the game rather than the visitors.
The next couple of games for the Under-23s sees a home game against Wigan Athletic at Reaseheath next Monday before
Crewe: Booth, Djalo, Woodthorpe, Offord, Johnson, Sass-Davies, Lomas (Lokko 71), Lundstram, Griffiths, Robbins (Goodrich 84), Heath
Burnley: Jensen, Cropper, Glennon, Phillips, Younger, Wilson, Koiki, Goodridge, Mumbongo, Richardson (Tucker 67), Bayode
