Goals from Joel Tabiner, Connor O’Riordan, Charlie Finney, Zak Dempster-Down and Connor Salisbury saw Crewe Alexandra defeat Harrogate Town after extra-time in the FA Youth Cup 2nd Round at the Alexandra Stadium this afternoon.
Manager Lee Bell named Tom Booth in goal with a back 4 of Sam Bhatti, captain O’Riordan, Kempster-Down and Sean Lawton in front of him. In midfield were Tabiner, Owen Lunt and Finney in a more advanced role while Ty Webster and Matus Holicek started either side of Salisbury up front. On the bench were Sam Crolla, Marquise Martins and goalkeeper Jack Flint.
The Alex almost took the lead in the 9th minute with Lunt missing the target before the visitors took the lead 4 minutes after a decent passing move ended with Joe Dixon slotting home. Tabiner would level the score 8 minutes before the break, getting on the end of Finney’s through-ball before firing past * in the visitors’ goal before the Alex number ten would hit the bar in first-half stoppage-time from outside the area.
The hosts would take the lead 4 minutes after the break with Salisbury nodding the ball down for O’Riordan to smash into the roof of the net before Town would be level just before the hour mark with Dixon adding his second.
Into extra-time where Finney gave the Alex the lead after 95 minutes with a left-footed curler into the top corner before Harrogate would again level a couple of minutes later with Ilesamni cutting in from the right and firing his left-footed shot into the bottom corner. Kempster-Down would add the fourth on 99 minutes as a corner from Tabiner was flicked on at the near post by O’Riordan for his centre-back partner volleying in at the back post with Salisbury getting a goal a minute from time to seal the game.
Crewe: Booth; Bhatti, O’Riordan, Kempster-Down, Lawton; Lunt, Tabiner, Finney (Martins 120); Webster (Crolla 112), Salisbury, Holicek
Harrogate: Giles, Barker, Birmingham, Lamb, Attree, Wilson, Williams, Horbury, Dixon, O’Boyle, Kerr
