Two first-half goals from Chris Porter gave Crewe Alexandra their first win at Swindon Town for the first time in 17 years in yesterday’s game at the County Ground.
Manager David Artell made 1 change from Friday’s 2-0 home win against Yeovil Town with Paul Green replacing Billy Sass-Davies (who dropped down to the bench) with Ryan Wintle moving into the defence.
The opening chance of the game came in the 3rd minute with Green putting in Tom Lowery on the right with his cross converted by Porter before the forward was denied a second 5 minutes by goalkeeper Luke McCormick following a through-ball from James Jones. Callum Ainley was the next player to have an effort on 11 minutes as his drive across goal past the far post before Will Jaaskelainen made his first save of the afternoon 9 minutes later from Theo Robinson.
5 minutes before the break saw Porter and Ainley combine for another chance with the forward adding his second in stoppage-time after more good work from Lowery allowed Porter to score from close range before Perry Ng and Charlie Kirk both had chances before the half-time whistle.
Porter had the ball in the net 7 minutes after the break but was adjudged to be ahead of the ball so was offside from Ainley’s square pass before Ryan Wintle was judged to have fouled Swindon substitute Ben House with Michael Doughty sending Jaaskelainen the wrong way. Porter was fouled in the box minutes later, which saw Artell send to the stands, but the Alex held on for the win despite a flurry on yellow cards for the Alex.
The next two games see Forest Green Rovers arrive in South Cheshire on Saturday before the final game at Grimsby Town the following Saturday.
What have we learnt from this game?
There’s not too much to add to Artell’s post-match comments really but it’s good to end the voodoo of visiting grounds in the South-West (we hadn’t won since New Year’s Eve 2011) let alone at Swindon where we hadn’t won since 2002.
It was another decent game for Will and it was interesting to see that Sass-Davies was taken out of the team after Friday’s performance but I’d have probably rested Wintle to bring Green back in.