Goals from James Crole and substitute Cian Ashford saw Cardiff City defeat Crewe Alexandra in the final Under-23s Professional League of the season despite Sean Lawton‘s opener for the Alex.
Manager Ryan Dicker’s team named Sam Booth in goal behind a back 4 of Sam Bhatti, Connor O’Riordan, Lewis Billington and Lucas Sant. In front of them were midfielders Owen Lunt, Charlie Finney and Matus Holicek with Ty Webster and Lawton either side of Max Woodcock in the front 3. On the bench were Zak Zempster-Down, Jack Nolan, Kassanda and goalkeeper Jack Flint.
The Alex took the lead in the 68th minute with defender Lawton scoring from just inside the area before the hosts would level 4 minutes later as Crole would score from a similar distance. They would score the winner with 8 minutes to play through Ashford’s deflected effort from outside the area.
Alex: S. Booth, Bhatti, O’Riordan, Billington, Sant (Kempster-Down 75); Lunt, C. Finney, Holicek; Webster (Nolan 84), Woodcock, Lawton (Kassanda 89)
Cardiff: Trialist, MacNamara (Ashford 69), Trialist, Jones, Clay, D’Almeida, Colwill (Wigley 90), Trialist, Crole, Leahy, Davies – Kenniford replaced a trialist 77th min
