From the start we ran through Everton like they weren't there. Vaughan happily using the space given to him by Everton, as did Brammer and Hulse and Ashton enjoyed playing against two defenders who didn't have a clue what they were going to do next, never mind who they were playing.
Everton had totally changed their team since we last played them as Gascoigne couldn't even get on the bench, Blomqvist was dropped to the bench and Radazinski was brought into the front line. Though, it was Ginola who gave us all our problems as he kept cutting inside the box but scuffed his shot into the arms of Ince. Radzinski first scuffed one wide before Ginolas shot was deflected off out of play, but it ended up that Ginola was off side.
Ashton then had a shot from 25 yards out which Simonsen fumbled and just managed to dive onto the ball before on rushing Hulse tapped it in. Rob Hulse was then supposedly brought down in the area when his shirt was tugged but the biased referee didn't give it. Then came the goal, after mountains of pressure on Everton, It came when Smith cleared the ball and Ashton headed it to Hulse who headed it down where Pembridge couldn't keep control and Ashton just ran onto it on the half way line and left all 4 Everton defenders just stood there amazed, on the edge of the area Dean just slotted it under Simenson and ran over to the Crewe fans pointing to his name on the back of his shirt, obviously shutting up his critics.
Seconds later and Hulse nearly made it two when he found imself one on one with the keeper but with 2 defenders wedged just behind him, he rounded the keeper but lost his footing and scuffed his shot.Then Ashton should have done better when a cross from Smith caught out Simenson and he ended up being out jumped by Ashton who couldn't keep his header down as the ball went over. Chances were coming thick and fast although some not to Crewe. Pembridge was allowed to run from virtually the half-way line to te edge of the area to unleashe a hard shot which forunatley whistled past the post but Ince wasn't happy about it his defence when he turned around and bollocked them.
Clayton Ince then went into the book for supposedly handballing. However, people are saying replays show different. Smith nearly scored from a poor cross when he totally misjuged his cross and it ended up just dipping under the bar but a quick reaction save from Simenson saw him tip it over.
Then, just when you though Everton weren't going to get back into it before half time, our first defensive mistake allowed them to open us up when Sodje's lame header fell to a Everton player who was allowed to cross to an unmarked Radzinski who just stood there and calmly headed the ball into the net.
At half time Everton messed with their team, they took Ginola off for Graveson and put Unsworth on for Naysmith which meant a change in tactics, it certainly worked as they suddenly looked more like a Premiership team. They controlled the possesion from the start and with a groin injury which led to Brammer being taken off it was going to be a stern test.
The best chance for Crewe came when Ashton headed the ball at goal, Hulse then gave it a clever flick to confuse the keeper and it looked a goal as Gresty Road arrupted but Pembridge headed it off the line. Then straight onto the break Everton put in a cross which Ince flapped at and lost the ball, Stubbs had a shot which went though Inces legs and somehow Sodje got back on the line quick enough to poke it off for a throw in.
Then Pembridge was layed off just out side the area and had a crack at goal and it looked like it was going into the far corner but Ince just about smothered it. It wasn't long till Everton did get their second goal when Radzinskis cross went through Sodje's legs to Campbell with his back to goal and Walton just behind him he turned and whacked t into the bottom corner, no way of stopping it.
Without much fight from the players Everton went and booked their hotel in Middlesbrough, but half of the Crewe fans who went last night won't be too dissapointed as it's the league what matters!