Max Conway’s first professional goal helped Crewe Alexandra draw against Doncaster Rovers at the Eco-Power Stadium yesterday.
Manager Lee Bell made 8 changes from Tuesday’s 1-0 home win against Harrogate Town in the EFL Trophy as Filip Marschall, James Connolly, captain Mickey Demetriou, Zac Williams, Max Sanders, Joel Tabiner, Kian Breckin and Shilow Tracey all came in for Tom Booth, Owen Lunt, Calum Agius, Fin Roberts, Lewis Billington, Adrien Thibalt (who all dropped down to the bench), Stan Dancey and Owen Taylor. Former Alex defender Jamie Sterry started for the hosts.
The opening chance came in the 3rd minute as a Demetriou long throw wasn’t cleared decisively with Kian Breckin volleying wide from the edge of the area before Luke Molyneux would drag his shot wide from just inside the D on 28 minutes. Doncaster had the ball in the net in the 32nd minute as Jordan Gibson’s free-kick was tipped onto the bar by Marschall with Billy Sharp scoring from an offside position before Williams’ left-sided cross found Cooney at the back post with his effort easily saved by Teddy Sharman-Lowe in the hosts’ goal.
The Alex took the lead in the 56th minute as Conway picked the ball up just inside the Doncaster half, drove past a couple of defenders before slotting the ball into the bottom corner to score his first Football League goal with the hosts levelling the score on 74 minutes. An Alex throw-in was cleared with Molyneux’s through-ball finding substitute Kyle Hurst who finished from just inside the penalty area before the next Alex chance came in the 82nd minute as Cooney’s throw-in was cleared out of the area only to be lobbed back in and kept alive by Connolly with Williams heading over the bar.
The next games for the Alex see them host Salford City next Saturday before a trip to Fleetwood Town the following Tuesday.
Final Thoughts:
That was another game where we dug in and were a little cautious, which is understandable away to a team that will likely be involved in the Top 7 even if you ignore the injury list (which saw Jack Lankester added to it as he’ll be out for 6 weeks or so).
What a goal it was from Conway to open his account too, one that is well worth looking for if you haven’t seen it already.
Eco-Power Stadium
League 2
12/10/2024 3:00 pm
Attendance: 7472
Referee: Ben Atkinson
| Doncaster Rovers | Crewe Alexandra | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurst | Conway | ||||||
| Sharman-Lowe | Marschall | ||||||
| Sterry | 62 | Connolly | |||||
| Olowu | Demetriou (c) | ||||||
| McGrath | Williams | ||||||
| Fleming | 62 | Cooney | |||||
| Bailey (c) | Sanders | 69 | |||||
| Broadbent | Breckin | 81 | |||||
| Molyneux | Conway | ||||||
| Clifton | 70 | Tabiner | |||||
| Gibson | Holicek | 69 | |||||
| Sharp | Tracey | ||||||
Substitutes |
|||||||
| Lawlor | Booth | ||||||
| Sbarra | 62 | Lunt | 69 | ||||
| Yeboah | Agius | ||||||
| Ironside | 62 | Roberts | |||||
| Hurst | 70 | Finney | |||||
| Senior | Billington | 81 | |||||
| Close | Thibalt | 69 | |||||
Game Statistics |
||
| 19 | Goal attempts | 9 |
| 5 | On Target | 2 |
| 9 | Corners | 2 |
| 7 | Fouls | 9 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 3 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 62 | % | 38 |