First Senior Goals See Alex End Unbeaten Run

First senior goals from Lewis Billington and substitute Matus Holicek helped Crewe Alexandra to come from behind at Barrow yesterday.

Manager Lee Bell made 1 change from last Saturday’s 2-1 home win against Swindon Town as Shilow Tracey comes in for Joe White, who has returned to Newcastle United following his loan spell expiring while new signing Josh Austerfield, who joined on Thursday, starts on the bench where he is joined by Holicek who has missed the last couple of months.

The game’s opening chance and goal came in the 10th minute with Robbie Gotts volleying in a cross from David Worrall before the midfielder would shoot over minutes later. The Alex would equalise on 20 minutes as Elliott Nevitt converted a low cross from Chris Long from close range before Nevitt missed the target from an Adebisi cross and then failed to convert the latter’s free-kick.

It would take until the 64th minute for the visitors to take the lead as Shilow Tracey’s left-sided cross was headed in by Billington from 6 yards out before Tom Booth would deny Ben Whitfield 10 minutes later, the forward shooting on the turn from the edge of the area.

A double change 7 minutes from time would see Ryan Cooney and Holicek come onto the field with the latter getting himself on the scoresheet with his first touch as Cooney squared the ball for fellow sub Courtney Baker-Richardson, the forward had his shot saved by Paul Farman with the Slovakian midfielder heading in the rebound.

The next couple of games see the Alex travelling to Barrow next Saturday before playing away at Morecambe the following Tuesday.

Final Thoughts:

Another three points and a result that sees us on the fringes of the top three, albeit having played more than those ahead of us.

This game showed more resistance after going behind, a trait that has seen the club gain the most points from losing positions, and it was good to see two more academy graduates get their first goals for the club as they arrived well onto the ball to both head in their first senior goals.

Barrow				Crewe Alexandra
Gotts				Nevitt, Billington, Holicek
Farman				Booth
Chester				Billington
Ray			70	O'Riordan
Canavan				Demetriou
Worrall				Adebisi
Spence				Offord
White			80	Thomas			82
Gotts			60	Tracey			74
Newby				Rowe			82
Whitfield			80	Long			60
Proctor			70	Nevitt
Substitutes
Lillis				Davies
Campbell			60	Cooney			82
Stephenson			80	Baker-Richardson			74
Telford			70	Leigh
Acquah			80	Colkett
Stockton			70	Holicek			82
Feely				Austerfield			60

Game Statistics
13	Goal attempts	13
5	On Target	6
5	Corners	0
7	Fouls	10
1	Yellow Cards	6
0	Red Cards	0
50	%	50