Two second-half goals from Connor Salisbury as well as efforts from Tyreece Onyeka and Charlie Finney saw Crewe Alexandra thrash Hull City in their opening U23 Professional Development League game at Reaseheath this afternoon.
Manager Alex Morris named Will Jaaskelainen in goal behind a back 4 of Sam Bhatti, Connor O’Riordan, Terell Thomas and Sean Lawton. In front of them were midfielders Matus Holicek, Joel Tabiner and Finney while Onyeka, Salisbury and Max Woodcock started up front. On the bench were Zak Kempster-Down, Sam Crolla and goalkeeper Sam Booth.
The opening goal of the game came in the 3rd minute with Onyeka stealing the ball before firing between the legs of Harvey Cartwright before Finney would add the second on the half-hour mark with an effort from distance.
The Alex would add their third on 65 minutes with Finney’s ball turned in by Salisbury before Jaaskelainen would save a Hull penalty to his left 5 minutes later. Salisbury would add his second and the Alex fourth in the 72nd minute before Hull would get a consolation a minute from time.
The next games at this level are a home game against Alsager Town in the Cheshire Senior Cup next Tuesday (7:45 pm kick-off) with a trip to Barnsley the following Monday (kicking off at 1:00 pm).
Alex: Jaaskelainen; Bhatti (Crolla 67), O’Riordan (Kempster-Down 49), Thomas, Lawton; Holicek, Tabiner, C. Finney; Onyeka, Salisbury, Woodcock
Hull: Cartwright, Curtis, Leake, Lovick, Mills, Taylor, Trialist, Beckett, Hinds, Green, Jarvis
