Two first-half goals from Courtney Baker-Richardson saw Crewe Alexandra into a 2-goal lead at home to Northampton Town but would have to settle for a point after a goal direct from a corner for the visitors in the 8th minute of stoppage-time.
Manager Alex Morris made one change from Tuesday’s 1-0 home win against Sutton United as Rod McDonald replaced Billy Sass-Davies in the heart of the defence. Dave Richards would return to the Alex bench following injury while the visitors were captained by former Alex defender Jon Guthrie.
The visitors had the opening chance of the game in the 7th minute with Sam Hoskins firing over the bar before the Alex took the lead in the 27th minute with Baker-Richardson winning the ball from defender Tyler Magloire before his shot arrowed into the top corner from 25 yards. The second came 3 minutes before the break with Kelvin Mellor keeping the ball in, his pass finding Callum Ainley whose shot fell into the path for CBR to get his second of the game inside the 6-yard box before the lead was reduced back to 1 almost immediately as a cross from the right converted by Hoskins from close range.
Following an early change which saw Lachlan Brook go off with an injury and replaced by Khanya Leshabela, the visitors would have more possession and territory in the second half. Morris would throw on defender Sass-Davies on for Ainley in the final 15 minutes and change to a 5-3-2 before 6 minutes were added by the fourth official with the Cobblers scoring in additional time to that, Hoskins getting his second direct from a corner that may have taken a slight deflection off Zac Williams on it’s way through.
The next games for the Alex see a trip to Bradford City next Saturday before a home game against Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Trophy the following Tuesday.
What can we take out of this game?
The situation of the game is frustrating to take, especially as its goals conceded late in both halves – something that Morris will look to solve. Still, the result feels like a defeat with the equaliser coming well after the time that was put up on the board (yes, I’m well aware that it’s a minimum that is scheduled).
Overall, most fans will be delighted that we are already into double figures for points in the league after just 5 games played after the dismal season last time out.
Alexandra Stadium
League 2
20/08/2022 4:00 pm
Referee: David Webb
| Crewe Alexandra | Northampton Town | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker-Richardson (2) | Hoskins (2) | ||||||
| Okwonko | Burge | ||||||
| Mellor | Lintott | ||||||
| Offord | Magloire | ||||||
| McDonald | Guthrie | ||||||
| Williams | Koiki | 86 | |||||
| Thomas | McWilliams | 86 | |||||
| Uwakwe | Pinnock | ||||||
| Brook | 56 | Bowie | |||||
| Ainley | 79 | Leonard | |||||
| Agyei | Hoskins | ||||||
| Baker-Richardson | Hylton | 64 | |||||
Substitutes |
|||||||
| Richards | Maxted | ||||||
| Griffiths | Fox | 86 | |||||
| O. Finney | Appere | 64 | |||||
| Leshabela | 56 | Odimayo | |||||
| Sass-Davies | 79 | Haynes | 86 | ||||
| C. Finney | Cross | ||||||
| Tabiner | Dyche | ||||||
Game Statistics |
||
| 6 | Goal attempts | 14 |
| 3 | On Target | 4 |
| 5 | Corners | 8 |
| 7 | Fouls | 8 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 38 | % | 62 |