A first-half brace from Mika Mandron helped Crewe Alexandra to defeat Shrewsbury Town in the final game of the season yesterday afternoon. Shaun Whalley and former Alex striker Daniel Udoh had got the visitors level from two behind before the break before substitute Chris Porter got the winner in the final 10 minutes.
Manager David Artell made one change from last Saturday’s 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers with Tom Lowery replacing Antony Evans in midfield while the bench was strengthened with the returns of Oli Finney and Josh Lundstram from long-term injuries. Udoh started for Salop while former Alex midfielder Brad Walker on the Shrews bench.
The opening chance and goal of the game came in the 10th minute with Charlie Kirk playing Mandron in with his effort smashed across Harry Burgoyne into the bottom corner before Owen Dale produced a save from the Salop keeper and cleared off the line by a defender 8 minutes later.
Mandron would add his and the hosts’ second midway through the first half, volleying home a cross from the left before Whalley halved the deficit on 34 minutes, cutting in from the left and curling it past Will Jaaskelainen. The leveller would come 4 minutes before the break with Udoh firing past the Finnish keeper.
The second half started with Mandron heading a Lowery cross over the bar before Matty Pennington would almost get on the end of a free-kick at the other end. The winner came in the 81st minute with the Alex getting in down the left with Harry Pickering, Luke Murphy and Charlie Kirk combining with the winger having an effort saved by Burgoyne into the path of Porter who finished from a foot out.
What can we take out of this game?
It was a fast start for the club with Mandron taking his goals well but the game changed with Whalley’s goal as the visitors dominating the rest of the first half. The second half was broken up a little by the subs made by both sides but it was good to see Finney and Lundstram back after long periods out.
Now the hard work starts for next season and the recruitment in and out, starting with the retained list that will probably be out in a few days’ time.