Crewe Take Their Hats Off To Luton

Crewe started brightly when work from Brammer and David Wright saw Crewe

'Frustrating match!'

attack down the right but Wrights cross was, well awful. Luton's first corner moments later resulted in nothing as Crewe cleared their lines. Luton Sorvel gave it to Jack who took it down the right and as Luton couldn't cope he was brought down and from the resulting free-kick from Lunt Jones was off target. Luton had the best of the opening play for the first few minutes but never resulted in attacks, but alot of pressure going on the Crewe defence. Hulse got a break after 5 minutes but after passing to Lunt, Lunt couldn't quite get round his man. Then Hulse missed a chance, build up play from Brammer saw Wright beat his man down the right to cross it and as Hulse stopped his run the goalkeeper spilled. Luntons second corner was picked up by Jack who helped to set Jones free, but Luton cleared for a throw in which resulted in Crewe's first corner which was eventually cleared. Sodjes cross was then headed out of the area to Sorvel who headed it back into the box for Foster but was cleared. 15 minutes gone and there were no real attacks to speak of, untill Jack went on a run a shot from outside the box was hacked away from the Hatters. The resulting throw-in saw Fosters header go inches over!
Lunt fed a ball to Jones down the right who tried to feed to players in the box but was cleared on the quarter mark. Sorvel then set Wright free who gave it to Sodje, Sodjes ball was cleared to Brammer who tried a clever ball to Jack which didn't quite work. Luton went on the counter and Howards shot was deflected off for their 3rd corner in 25 minutes but nothin came of their corner, again. David Wright gave it to Brammer who's cross was easily caught from the Hatters keeper. After Brammer was brought down late Robinson was booked for Luton, Foster knocked it to Hulse who's ball to Jones wasn't a great one.
Jack then went on another run and again Luton couldn't cope and they cleared for a corner, Lunts corner floated to Sodje at the far post who knocked wide. Luton attacks were rare and when Spring did get forward his cross was easily caught, his second attempt had to be cleard by Fozzy. Brammer got the ball gave it to Wright with a superb pass, Wright gave it to Lunt who stike was knocked out by the keeper, oh so close. The corner was a poor one as the keeper cleared. Brilliant play by Lunt & Brammer got Hulse who gave it to Brammer who's cross the far post was wasted. Luton had a shot wide but Crewe were absolutley dominating. Crewe got their 4th corner when Sodje's ball was cleared, again nothing resulted from the play. Luton recieved their second booking when jack was blatantley brought down by Berkovic. Lunts free kick was cleared.Luton then went on the counter and the pace of Howard saw him set free and his shot went inches wide. Luton went on another counter attack and Springs ball went accross the box. So Crewe went on a counter attacked, passing move included Sorverl, Lunt, Brammer saw Sorvels strike wide. Lunton went forward again as they edged their way back into the game, Skeltons cross was eventually cleared. Jones turned his man went to the right, he kocked it to Hulse inside the box who was off side., another bit of promosing play from the Reds. Hulse and Lunt combined to thread Wright through who's shot was wide. Jack went past his man down the right, gave it to Brammer who let Sodje cross but nothing came of it.... again...

Half-time -: Crewe 0-0 Luton

At the start of the 2nd half Crewe attacked, with Sodje sending Jones down the left but his ball went straight accross the face of the goal. A similar move won a throw-in which resulted in the attack breaking down. Luton put pressure on the Alex which Foster making sure Spring didn't get much more forward than the box, it was soon cleared. A Lunt free kick was the usual work up - knocked hard to Sojde who headed in down but the keeper collected. Crewe then pressured the Hatters, a wright corss was knocked out for Jack who knocked it to Lunt who knocked it forward but Hulse culdn't get on the end of it. A well worked free kick dwn the left from Brammer to Lunt found Hulse who knocked it back to Brammer who's cross found Richard Walker who's free header went over. Then Crewe went on the break with Jones set free his shot was fumbled and as Jones went to get the ball he was fouled... penalty? No the ref gave a free kick to Luton. A Ince long ball found Hulse who brought it down with a brilliant fist touch, turned and smacked it at goal and went inches over!
A quiet half but was dominated by the reds once again. Having said that Luton had one glourios chance when Crewe looked for offside Howard set free and while Ince came Howard shot wide, a chance wasted. Some attacking play from Luton saw a shot deflected into the box, trouble was soon cleared as the Alex went on the counter but again nothing came from it! After Luton seemed to be coming back into the game Dario though a change was the answer so he brought out of favour Dean Ashton on for Steve Jones while Ben Rix replaced Sorvel hoping to find some creativity. Luton were starting to trouble the Alex with breaks down the flanks and Ince was the only one who could save Crewe from conceding. A long throw from Sodje found Jack who threaded it to Ashton who let Lunt free but out for a corner, Foster headed over from the resulting corner. Many Lunt free-kicks were wasted due to fouls or no-one meeting the ball.
Then Luton made it 1-0 when a Davies ball accross the face of the goal was met by Howard who knocked it into the back of the net! it looked to be heading to a 1-0 defeat from a promoted team after dominating AGAIN!!!! The game fizzled out into the final whistle as Crewe fell to their second home defeat in as many games. There seems to be lack of chances at home and while we can pulled teams apart away we can't seem to beat a 10 man defence when teams come to Gresty Road. So we move to 6th, and with Wigan coming up if we don't win that we should be getting worried. We need to beat teams that are around the play-off zone if we don't we'll fall. We seem to be niave at home and Dario can't seem to get the tactics rightat all with Jack moving all over the field and Hulse not getting many chances. teams come here and when they score they win, Notts County, Plymouth and now Luton have all come here and are the only teams to have scored at Gresty Road this season they are always the only teams to have won. Maybe when our most influencial player, in the form of David Vaughan, gets back in November we'll have better creativity and an idea where to got otherwise our home form could equal last years away form...awful!
We need to go to Wigan on Saturday with our heads high, results weren't great tonight but they weren't bad, Wigan drew with QPR, Cardiff beat Mansfield while even though Oldham got 3 points against Northapton Blackpool fell to a suprise 3-1 defeat at home to Stockport.