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Yesterday was a matter of defensive errors. Our goals first though. The first one resulted from a obvious back pass. Lunt tried threading it through to Hulse but a Northamtpon defender on the edge of the box helped the ball on its way to the keeper who picked it up without a care in the world. The freekick, inside the area just next to the right post. Lunt knocked it to Brammer outside the box who smashed at goal but Jones made sure that it went in as he knocked it into the back of the net at the left post.2 minutes later and it was all over so we thought with Lunts first shot blocked by the keeper but Vaughan lashed home the 2nd goal.
Then the turning point was probably the penalty. Derek Asamoah was getting the better of Tierney all game on the left and with pace and abit of skill he skinned tierney to gtet into the area. Vaughan and Tierney panicked and shoulder barged him. Clear penalty, the most disappointing bit was Bankole made no attempt to even guess where the penalty was going and stood there as the ball flew into the net.
The first half as a whole wasn't great with Northampton edging possession but maybe not chances. They didn't threaten the goal much rarther getting forward only to be cut out by the back four. Another thing was Bankole. The players weren't confident with him in goal. One incident which McCready had to clear up was when McCready was shepherding the ball to Bankole for im to kick but Bankole ignored him and with McCready being tracked by Gabbiadini the 22 year old coolly got it clear.
In the second half it was much the same. Northampton had the possession but rarley threatened. Their biggest threat was Asamoah who turning Tierney inside out with his pace. This is how Northampton got the corners for their goals. All Tierney could do with the ball was knock the ball for a corner everytime he was put under pressure. Their equalizer came from slack defending. First of all Bankole didn't try to get to the ball in the air, he didn't shove hs players out of the way to get a punch on the ball. Then Hope rose freely to head home while Bankole was stood in no mans land. 2-2.
For the neutral you could say it was a great game. For Crewe and Northampton fans it was frustrating. The referee was very picky and every time a free kick was taken while the ball was rolling he made sure it was taken again.... What advantage is it going to have from inside our own half? The linesman was then calling offside for every attack. One noticeable was when Hulse was walking back, Jones was onside by about 10 yards, yet when Jones got free the linesman said Hulse was offside. Jonah finished off the chance and ended up getting booked. These referees and linesmen are jokes.
6 minutes after their equalizer Jonah worked his magic again. Hulse flicked on a Lunt free kick Jonah chests it down and on the half volley smashed into the far corner of the net. Tierney still wasn't comfortable with Asamoah and gave away another corner and for the 2nd time Hope rose above everyone and flicked it onto Asamoah on the far post who smashed home.
Sooo. We remian second as Wigan, Cardiff, Oldham and Bristol City all drew. We're no worse off than we were this time last weekend but we're no better off. We can go atleast 3 points clear of 3rd place when we go to Meadow Lane on Tuseday. It will take us level on games with Oldham. However Cardiff are playing Northampton on the same night and will still have a game in hand over us. If they were to lose or draw to Northampton we would go 4 points clear of 3rd place.