Late goals from Joe Lynch and Malachi Linton gave Alex Morris’ Under-23 team their first victory of the season at the Alexandra Stadium against Queens Park Rangers this afternoon.
Morris named Dave Richards in goal (who also captained the team) whilst Travis Johnson, Josh Lundstram, Billy Sass-Davies and Luke Offord made up the back 4 in front of him. In midfield, Tom Lowery was joined by trialist Lucas Dawson, a former Stoke City youngster who has spent the past 18 months at Chester, with Oliver Finney and Lynch playing on the right and left respectively whilst Linton partnered Lewis Reilly up front. On the bench was sub keeper Sam Booth, Connor Heath, Matthew Fenton and Joe Robbins.
In a tight game, the Alex almost took a lead in the 3rd minute as Lowery forced Marcin Brzozowski into a good save tipping the ball over the bar before the hosts took the lead just after the half-hour mark as Linton found Finney inside the area with the midfielder finishing from 6-yards out as it looked as if he had held onto the ball for too long and the chance had gone. It took until the final 10 minutes for the action to really start as the visitors leveled with 84 minutes on the clock as Lowery’s missed-placed ball was intercepted by Hoops’ captain Ilias Chair whose shot from the area beat Richards into the bottom corner of his net.
It looked like the game was going to finish level but Crewe took the lead in the 89th minute after good inter-play between Reilly and Linton saw Lynch found in the inside-left channel with the midfielder finishing from outside the area, which saw Brzozowski and half-time substitute Chiay Tilt booked for arguing and pushing each other, whilst Linton would add his name to the score-sheet finishing from close-range after a low save from Brzozowski fell into the path of the forward.
The next game for the Alex at this level sees the team travel to Barnsley on Friday with a 2pm kick-off at their training ground.
Crewe (4-4-2): Richards (c); T. Johnson, Lundstram, Sass-Davies, Offord; Finney, Lowery (Heath 85), Dawson, Lynch; Reilly, Linton
Booked: Reilly (stopping the keeper from kicking out of his hands)
QPR (4-4-1-1): Brzozowski; Mesias, Omar, Wells, Felix; Dalling, Goss (Bettache 60), Ransel-McNulty, Alfa (Tilt 46); Chair (c); Oteh (Orafu 60)
Booked: Brzozowski, Tilt (pushing each other)
