Questions needed to be answered by the team tonight and they were answered, sort of. Baker didn’t stick to his promise of sticking loanee Barrowman in at the deepend instead Barrowman sat on the bench. Jones and Ashton returned from international duty, Jones now needs to impress the new N.Ireland manager, whoever that may be, after Sammy McIlroy quit to join
INCE
WRIGHT
LUNT COCHRANE SORVEL RIX
ASHTON JONES
The players knew they were well and truly under pressure to perform in front of the lowest
The threat was down the wings with Lunt on the right and Rix on the left both delivering teasing crosses. One was cleared for a corner but Jones squandered the chance from the corner when his shot was high and wide. Bradford were never really a major threat on the attack with only one shot in the first ten minutes, and that was low and weak from 30 yards straight into Ince.
The first ten minutes was focused on the referee and linesmen as the crowd got restless through the stop start way the game was going. The game wasn’t that scruffy and the referee, Michael Ryan, did actually make some good decisions but one thing which bugged the home faithful, team and Neil Baker was the consistent shoving and shirt grabbing by Jason Gavin on Dean Ashton.
Ashton was actually showing he was out to prove his critics wrong. After 10 days of criticism from some of the home crowd of being lazy and uninterested, he came out and gave everything. Massive improvement from the
Ashton was taking his chances sweetly and nearly did score 5 minutes later. A free kick on the edge of the area was taken long by Ince, the ball was taken down by Ashton about 25 yards out before unleashing an unstoppable shot along the ground but after it beat Beresford the foot of the left post denied Deano of the goal.
Whilst there weren’t many clear cut chances from either team it was clear we were leading through possession. We always looked the ones likely to score first. However crosses were poor at times but Jones and Ashton were very menacing up front with Jones providing pace and a few tricks with Deano providing the flair and technique we know he has.
Muirhead had a couple of other opportunity’s before half time, one 35 yard shot which Sorvel did excellently to close down before the ball got off the ground. Muirhead also sent a bullet cross Into the box after getting the better of Wright and Lunt… fortunately Ince got his body behind the low ball before it got to the intended target of Forrest.
It was, though, goalless at half time. We were looking likely to score but to say it was a matter of when we’d score and not if would have been a bit optimistic after 4 games without a goal. It was however a matter of time….
40 seconds into the second half and Jones had scored. Jonah, who had scored the last Crewe goal 4 games ago, was given the ball by Rix and from the right wing midway in the Bradford half Jones skipped past two Bradford players before skinning a defender, when free on goal he kept calm and rounded the keeper before slotting home. It was a weight off the teams shoulders as about 6 players jumped on top of him in delight.
Why stop at just the one goal? As less than 3 minutes later it was two. This time Dean Ashton. David Wright cross from the right and the ball landed perfectly in the middle of the penalty area to power a header into the bottom right. Jones and Ashton put their finger’s to their lips as a reply to fans and management criticism.
It was all going wrong as
Not long after that Danny Forrest sent a powerful shot at goal from 25 yards out but at full stretch Ince managed to finger tip it round the post.
Meanwhile the Alex were lacking that killer instinct once again. Jones was poor going forwards. He would beat a few players with runs but then just as quick mis place the pass. Ashton ran and ran but whenever he had the ball there was no-one to send it to. Ben Rix on the left was drifting into the middle abit but he worked his socks off and was inspirational down the left.
The only ‘good’ chance we had after the goal was probably Steve Jones’ on the 85th minute. An awful back pass by Jason Gavin allowed Jones to run onto the ball and go one on one with the keeper. It was a tight angle though and the keeper made himself ‘big’. Jonah tried to go round him but after failing to do that he smashed his shot into the side netting.
It was from the goal kick that
Barrowman, onloan from
2-2 at full time.
It was a harsh lesson for the inexperienced side out there. The first 55 minutes we could have had 4 or maybe 5 but we didn’t make the possession count as much as we should. After the two goals we settled back and just defended the lead. If it had been 3-0 then we would probably have won easily but at 2-0 all it needs is one little break from the opposition to give them a massive lift, and that’s what happened.
It was a much improved performance to the one that fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to
Kenny Lunt on the right was absolutely brilliant in the first half, second half he faded. He won everything in tackles and took the ball forward with purpose. Rix did pretty much the same aswell. Sorvel and Walker though just seem a bit, well, useless. Walker, and I’ve always said it, just can’t clear the ball without messing up. Sorvel just isn’t good enough for this level he slows quick attacks down and loses the ball in stupid positions.
Cochrane though continues to impress. His passing was suspect at the start of the season but now it’s excellent compared. However, with 3 yellow cards just 2 more could see a suspension looming.
As for the Barrowman kid. Although he only played 5 or so minutes he showed a touch of class and proved Baker right as he ran his heart out for lost ball situations. I’d like to see him play a lot more over the next month.
It was a positive result and the players half redeemed themselves for the
I feel we’re going to really thrash someone soon and with Walton looking to line up for