Ex-Evertonian’s Brace Sees Crewe Smash Liverpool In EFL Trophy Opener

A first-half brace from Chris Long helped Crewe Alexandra to a comfortable win at home to Liverpool’s Under-21s at the Alexandra Stadium yesterday in the opening game of the EFL Trophy. Fin Roberts, Ryan Cooney and substitute Adrien Thibaut would all score their first Alex goals in the match while Dominic Corness equalised for the visitors from the penalty spot.

Manager Lee Bell made 9 changes from Saturday’s 0-0 home draw against Swindon Town as Ryan Cooney, James Connolly, Charlie Finney, Owen Lunt, Kian Breckin, Roberts, Matus Holicek, Calum Agius and Long came in for Jamie Knight-Lebel, Max Sanders, Shilow Tracey, Joel Tabiner (who all dropped down to the bench), Zac Williams, Mickey Demetriou, Conor Thomas, Kane Hemmings and Max Conway (who are all rested). The Alex bench would also include youngsters Mikolaj Lenarcik, Lucas Sant and Adrien Thibaut while former Alex loanee Harvey Davies started in goal for the visitors.

The first chance and goal of the game came in the 3rd minute as a long throw from Finney wasn’t dealt with by the young Liverpool defence with Roberts scoring his first Alex goal on only his second appearance for the club before the first chance for the young Reds came 6 minutes later saw Keyrol Figueroa through on goal with Marschall making the save. Liverpool would win a penalty a minute later with Connolly bringing down Laffey with Corness beating Marschall into his bottom left corner to level the score before Long would get in behind from a Holicek header but the former Everton forward dragged his effort wide of the goal.

The Alex would re-take the lead on the half-hour as a defensive mistake from Nallo allowed Long to get on the end, nutmeg Davies and roll the ball into the empty net before the forward would get his second a couple of minutes before the break as a threaded ball from Cooney found Long on the Alex right with him cutting inside and smashing the ball into the bottom corner with his left foot from just outside the box.

The hosts would win a penalty of their own 5 minutes after the break as Liverpool captain Thomas Hill would push Breckin in the back with Cooney slotting the ball into the bottom right of Davies’ net despite the keeper going the right way before Liverpool would win their second penalty of the night as Cooney brought down Kyle Kelly with Corness hitting the outside of the post with his effort. The fifth for the Alex came on 74 minutes and would see substitute Lankester play a through-ball that Breckin with the Manchester City loanee squaring the ball for sub Thibaut to score a couple of minutes into his debut before a low cross from substitute Sanders was side-footed onto the crossbar by Lankester.

The next games for the Alex sees a trip to Bromley on Saturday in the league before playing the second group game in this competition at Blackpool next Tuesday.

Final Thoughts:

That was a comfortable victory against a really young Liverpool side (both centre-backs and all 3 forwards were either 17 or 18) but you can only beat what is in front of you.

It was good to see both Roberts and Thibaut score early in their senior careers with the club, the former reacting quickest as the ball bounced his way and the latter getting into a good area where Breckin could lay it off to him, the City man impressing in midfield.

Hopefully, it is something to build on for our trip south at the weekend.

Crewe Alexandra				Liverpool Under-21s
Roberts, Long (2), Cooney, Thibaut				Corness
Marschall				Davies
Cooney				McLaughlin-Miles
Connolly				Nallo			75
Billington (c)			46	Pinnington
Finney			63	Norris
Lunt				Pilling
Breckin				Corness
Roberts			72	Hill (c)
Holicek			63	Laffey
Agius				Figueroa			75
Long			46	K. Kelly
Substitutes
Lenarcik				Trueman
Knight-Lebel			46	Esdaille
Sanders			63	Kone-Doherty			75
Tabiner			63	Spearing
Lankester			46	Jonas			75
Sant				Onanuga
Thibaut			72

Game Statistics
13	Goal attempts	7
6	On Target	3
5	Corners	0
17	Fouls	10
2	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
45	%	55