Goals from Mickey Demetriou, Elliott Nevitt and Josh Austerfield saw Crewe Alexandra move back into the automatic promotion places against Notts County at Meadow Lane yesterday.
Manager Lee Bell made 3 changes from last Saturday’s 0-0 home draw at Harrogate Town with Conor Thomas, Shilow Tracey and Charlie Kirk came in for the injured Luke Offord, Courtney Baker-Richardson and Aaron Rowe, the latter two dropping down to the bench where they were joined by Tom Booth (both him and Keiren Westwood were on the bench for this game – surely a first for anyone in the fourth tier) and Joel Tabiner who both return after their injuries. Former Alex loanee Scott Robertson started in midfield while Charlie Colkett, on loan with the Magpies, was ineligible against his parent club.
The game’s opening chance and goal came in the 6th minute as a short corner from Rio Adebisi was played back to him by Kirk with the full-back’s cross headed in by stand-in captain Demetriou before the lead was doubled 12 minutes later, Kirk’s through-ball played Nevitt in behind the defence before being brought down by Luca Ashby-Hammond (the keeper receiving a yellow card) before the forward would send the keeper the wrong way from the spot.
At the other end, Harvey Davies would deny Jodi Jones and Macauley Langstaff before the break. A double-change came just after the hour with CBR and Rowe replacing Nevitt and Tracey before Cooney, Lewis Leigh and the returning Tabiner would replace Thomas, Matus Holicek and Kirk with a quarter-hour to play.
The Alex would be celebrating almost straight away as Adebisi advanced down the Alex left to feed Austerfield to drive the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the area on 77 minutes with County getting a consolation with 7 minutes to play as Jones’ long-range effort was saved by Davies with substitute Jim O’Brien turning in the rebound through a couple of players.
The next couple of games see the Alex hosting Morecambe next Saturday before travelling to Doncaster Rovers the following Saturday.
Final Thoughts:
Another great performance (on the whole) in front of an away support that seems to be growing by the game – exactly what the players and staff deserve.
Another couple of goals from set-pieces, including Demetriou’s NINTH of the season from defence without the need of taking free-kicks or penalties to boost that number, to celebrate his contract extension this week.
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