 | Good work from Ashton topping off an excellent performance despite poor service from the team. CreweAlex.com Man of The Match. |
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The game was the game both teams knew they could win, a game that both teams could see as a vital 3 points at the end of the season. In front of the Sky Camera’s the team lined up pretty much expected with only Vaughan being the ‘surprise’ inclusion since his toe injury. The formidable Ince in goal with Wright, Foster, Walker in for the injured Moses and Vaughan at left back. In midfield it was the usual 4 that have started every game so far with Lunt, Brammer, Cochrane and Rix with Jone and Ashton upfront.
In the first half Rotherham knew how to unsettle us. Closing us down at every chance it led to a lot of mis-placed passes and a lot of the ball being off the ground. After a few minutes of us on the ball Rotherham slowly were into the game and we were finding it hard and obviously weren’t ‘at the races’. The Rotherham wingers were causing all sorts of problems for Wrighty and Vaughany needing Walker and Foster to move from the centre to help double up at times.
Our best chance came very early on. A simple Lunt free kick curled in low to Ashton who used his heel to flick the ball at goal and it would have gone in if it wasn’t for a defender in the way.
The play remained scrappy and we just couldn’t get going and we were quite simply poor, the only thing that stopped Rotherham from having a decent chance was the fact they can’t cross if their lives depended on it. When they did, somehow, get a cross in the box Ince was there to collect it. The big danger from Rotherham were their massive long throws which were launched into the box at every chance but Ince soon knew what they were up to and was, as usual, there to collect. Rotherham’s first decent chance came when Swailes flashed a header across goal.
For Crewe, we certainly weren’t being out played but were over doing the passing just inside our own half and it gave Rotherham plenty of chances to intercept and break away. Rotherham though didn’t have a attempt on target. Their two best chances were half an hour in. Byfield shot was smashed away, out of the 8 yard box, by David Wright and Chris Swailes’ header was tipped over the bar by Ince, but apparently it was going over anyway.
With 5 minutes left in the first half we started to get the ball and be creative with it with 3 decent chances in the 5 minutes. First was Dean Ashton’s, it was made by Deano and nearly finished by Dean with him showing intelligence in the move. Dean picked it up just outside the centre circle in the Rotherham half, ran with the ball abit before laying it off to Lunt. Deano made a powerful run to the far post where Lunt hit the cross. It dazed the defenders and Ashtom took a brilliant first touch but only managed to toe poke the finish as he looked to squeeze it in from a tight angle at the far post but the keeper got his legs to it to send in for a corner.
A minute or two later and Richard Walker got in on the act when from a Vaughan corner his looping header looked to have beat the keeper, who was struggling to find his feet, but Pollitt, in goal, dive low to his left to claw the ball away. From the resulting corner Deano hit a free header, at the far post, straight at a defender.
With half time fast approaching we were more in control, after a poor first half. It was actually a surprise to see us take the lead. The lead came on the 45th minute. Deano had a free kick 25 yards out which he smashed against the wall. As the ball bounced back out he went and collected it by using that little Brazilian skill totally dazzle two Rotherham defenders, after he got away from them he twisted and turned and with his back to goal 20 yards out he turned and hit a perfect ball to Jones on the penalty spot but Jonah was being strangled and held down by Rotherhams Branston. The ref didn’t think twice as the 200 so Alex fans appealed for a penalty. Whilst harsh on Rotherham it was the sort of challenge players get away with and see’s the fans moaning on every radio station because of it. Ashton stepped up for the penalty looking determined, after a little delay, he sent the ball screaming into the top left corner… it was a brilliant penalty.
To be 1-0 up at half time was a surprise to say the least. For the majority of the first half we were failing to get the ball anywhere near their area.
We started the second half as we left the 1st half, dominating. Rotherham seemed to have dropped their closing down play and gave us a chance to get it on the floor and play. Dean Ashton was still causing problems for the Rotherham defence with powerful runs, one which saw his final shot from 25 yards go wide. Rotherham, who did have their share of play early on, had their first shot on target on the 50th minute when their new signing Butlersmashed a over head kick straight into the arm’s of Ince. A couple of minutes later Rix’s curling shot from the edge of the area was blocked.
On the 55th minute we got another. Rather a surprise after the half had just settled down. Kenny Lunt’s free kick was hit low into the area where Richard ‘The Doorman’ Walker seemed to just walk straight into the ball to send it into the bottom left corner. It took us, Crewe fans, at the opposite end of the ground a few seconds to realise Walker had scored… just seeing Walker run away celebrating.
Dean Ashton, who had been excellent all afternoon despite poor service, should have broke away. A great timed run saw him get onto the end of a Lunt through ball to race clear on goal but the linesman put his flag up. Deano laughed at the descision and rightly so as it was a shocking one. Not only was Dean onside but he was also inside the Crewe half when the ball was played.
Jones though was onside when he broke away. A beautiful ball from Ashton caught the Rotherham defenders off guard as Jones raced unmarked towards the out coming Pollitt Jones tried to slip it into the bottom right hand corner but it was far too close to the keeper who got a hand to it. Rotherham were being unsettled by Ashton and 70 minutes in were just resulting to pushing him over knowing what he could do.
At the other end of the pitch and Walker and Foster re found that partnership in defence. Despite a couple of shakey early moments for Walker he and Foster were excellent in the middle. With Butler’s annoying way of twisting and turning and Byfield’s skilful and pacey play – they had to be strong. Foz’s cool calm defending won his Sky Sports man of the match.
At 2-0 Crewe sat back for the final 20 minutes and Dario introduced Anthony Tonkin to the Alex team and 1st Division football, with rix going off and Vaughan moving into midfield. Tonkin came on and with his first touch smashed a powerful header out of the box. Very quick he seems to know his positioning and is excellent at helping command the back four.
Rotherham, who although had a fair amount of possession, failed to trouble Ince all game and their final chance on target came from a Butler header but Ince found the ball flying straight at him. With 10 minutes left Rotherham seemed to have given up and let Crewe run down the clock. Paul Edwards came on for 5 minutes, looking strong, and we’ll probably see a lot more of him in the future up front after recovering from a knee injury.
It was by no means a good performance but it did the job and got us 3 points. There were only a couple of ‘outstanding’ players in the team, otherwise passing was poor, creativity was awful, defending was shakey and were lucky in the first half.
Clayton Ince just seems to get better every game. Not once did he fail to get to a ball and seems to have that excellent link up with the players – knowing who’s going to do what. He fills you with confidence and I’ve said it all season – he is the best keeper outside the premiership. If anyone can keep us in this division he can.
The back four remained pretty solid but Vaughan did have a shaky game. Was beaten a few times and maybe Tonkin should come in for a Tuesday to just give the defence that extra security. In midfield well… poor to say the least. For 40 minutes there was no service to Ashton nor Jones. Lunt did nothing, Rix made a few half decent runs which failed to result in anything, Cochrane never really got going and Brammer just had an off day with poor passing and poorly timed tackles.
Up front was my man of the match – Dean Ashton. Great runs, worked his socks off to get some chances, got players into the game, scared the defenders to death when he had the ball and some of the skills he showed were excellent. Just before the penalty he did some unexplainable skill to fooll to Rotherham players who virtually bumped into each other. Jones next to him could have had a goal with his 1 on 1 but that’s about all he did, apart from a couple of runs with the ball.
We now face two big tests at home. On Tuesday Trevor Brookings on form West Ham & their rather large ego visit. if the back four can keep Defoe and Connolly/Mellor quiet then we have a chance – but that’s easier said than done. Then on Saturday Nottingham Forest visit. yesterday there was a little boost for the team with David Johnson breaking a leg in their match but whilst we wish him a speedy recovery we’re glad he isn’t playing. Forest are still a good team though with Harewood and Michael Stewart in their team. If we can get 2 points from them games we’ll be smiling.