It’s taken its time in coming but finally we have a performance that can be classed as a performance. Four long months it has taken the players to get the ball down and pass it and move for it, and just play well. It came in sunny Reading, no it really was sunny, inside the extremely impressive Madjeski Stadium. The build up included, possibly, the best PA guy in the football league; ok, he was fairly biased towards Reading but he encouraged the crowd and his team and screamed, as loud as he could, as the teams came out ’Back the boys and make some noise!’. Shame really, couldn’t have contradicted the atmosphere anymore.
Firstly, Dario threw everyone off the scent of his latest mastermind stunt by naming a strange side. Symes and Higdon dropped to the bench for Jones and Ashton whilst Billy Jones got a well deserved rest but Justin Cochrane was dropped out of the sixteen, which was the main news of the day. Still not yet confirmed if he was unwell, injured, rested or just dropped but it seems, these days, that Crewe fans always seem to want a dressing room fight when a player is dropped, why?
So the 11...
Williams
McCready - Foster - Moses - Wright
Lunt - Brammer - Sorvel - Vaughan
Ashton - S.Jones
Pre-season already?
Crewe started much brighter than Reading and were finding it all too easy to keep the ball and pass it around the floor with confidence. The sun drenched pitch and Reading’s stand off approach made it feel all too much like a pre-season game. The atmosphere was non-existent as 14,500 sat seemingly disinterested in what was going on on the pitch, Crewe though were probably a bit more interested than Reading.
It was Dave Brammer orchestrating the opening period, winning the ball time and time again before getting the ball into space. It was a joy to see, after the dire football we’ve seen in 2004, that we were no longer being rushed into just hoofing it up to Ashton or just trying to get the ball to Jones time and time again. Infact we were controlling the game, Lunt finding space all the time whilst Ashton gave Reading something to think about from the off.
However, it was only the 10th minute when Reading scored from their first and only shot on target in the first half. A strange goal from a John Salako cross, Salako chipped it up over the Alex back four who just stood and stared at the linesman as Dave Kitson ran in unmarked to nod past a baffled Ben Williams who couldn’t believe what his defence was doing.
After that Reading never really threatened, nor did they look like every getting into the game. Ashton was really up for the game, first getting out of a sliding tackle by a Reading defender by back heeling it to Steve Jones and then anoth back heel, on the edge of the box with his back to goal, sent Steve Jones through on goal but Jonah hit the ball straight at the keeper from the right of the box.
Kenny Lunt was finding it all too easy to find space in the Reading half and once in a while had a shot, on the 15th minute forcing Jamie Ashdown to parry out in the Reading goal. The main Reading threat came from John Salako, his pace, at his age, causing Chris McCready at right back countless problems. With two tall powerful strikers in Kitson and Owusu it was always a threat for Crewe.
Half an hour in and Crewe fans were still waiting for a goal we did deserve. Reading still didn’t seem that arsed about the game and our midfield was superior to theirs, complimented by Ashton who was by far the best player on the pitch. His work rate defied the matches tempo and the skill he was using just baffled the Reading defence. He was creating everything but he finally had a shot 30 minutes in, from the edge of the area fired it along the ground into the keepers arms.
The game, still very much subdued, was soon given a lift for Crewe fans. 38th minute saw Steve Sidwell just barge Lunt to the ground cynically 25 yards out to the left of the goal. Kenny stepped up for the free kick as Ashton stood in front of the ball to ‘blind’ the wall and keeper, Kenny ran up as Ashton stepped away and Lunt hit his sweetest free-kick of the year at it dipped over the wall and inches inside the left post leaving the keeper with no chance.
It gave Crewe a little bit of a lift and they took the last 5 minutes by the scruff of the neck knowing another goal would set them up for a good first half but there was only one other chance, coming in first half stoppage time. Jonah getting down the left byline only to fire, again, straight at the keeper.
Second Half
Talk at half time was how the game was there for the taking for Crewe but the second half proved a tad tighter than the first half in terms of possession. Reading came out more alert, obviously having tea cups thrown at them by Steve Coppell.
Reading pressed from the restart and again the main threat from them was from the wings with high balls going in for the tall strikers. A cross early in the second half nearly caught Ben Williams out and forced him to just touch it over as it looked to be sneaking in over his head. Reading then had a couple of headers as they really came out looking to go back ahead. John Salako first headed straight at Williams but two minutes later the impressive Dave Kitson sent a header towards the far right corner but fantastic diving save from Williams saw Ben catch it to deny Kitson.
Reading continued to push and on the hour mark their fans thought they had taken the leader, Kitson, again, heading at goal and this time into the bottom left corner but the linesman put his flag up and Kitson was penalised for a shove on Foster.
We came back into it after that and for 15 minutes between the 65th and 80th minute we saw the better of the play again, unfortunately not effective enough. Dario baffled fans to why he had put David Vaughan on the right and Kenny Lunt on the left when David Vaughan couldn’t even dribble the ball with his right - never mind cross.
We still managed to make chances, it was Lunt and Ashton creating it all. Ashton playing superbly was rarely getting chances of his own but he was effective in holding the ball up, spraying it left, right and centre and threading balls through to Jones. Jones though was playing poorly and probably wasted two points with the chances he had.
One was from a David Vaughan shot cum cross and ball was being scrambled inside the 6 yard box by a Reading defender and the keeper and Jonah just needed to give it the tiniest of touches to send it goal wards but it bobbled around his thighs, he then tried to kick it but eventually a defender cleared it. He then had a couple of weak toe pokes from the edge of the box and it just showed it wasn’t his day.
Kenny Lunt nearly scored as well. He found space on the edge of the are again and from the left of the goal curled a low shot about a foot wide of the right post. Dave Brammer, who commanded the other 10 players all through the game, was taken off with what looked like a shin injury and was replaced by Craig Hignett.
As the game entered a last nervy 10 minutes for Crewe Dario changed it again with Ashton going off for Everton loanee Michael Symes. We then started playing to keep the point whilst Reading threw everything at us. It was the crosses once again that had the most threat but with Williams in goal you were never convinced they were going to scored from anything. Their one shot from off the ground was Steve Sidwell blasting over from 20 yards.
Steve Jones broke in the last five minutes but he once again scuffed his shot straight at the keeper, after coming flying down the left, and as Richard Walker replaced the tired Chris McCready - it was obvious where this game was going. The three minutes of added time ticked away and Crewe were the happier of the bunch…
Don’t let Stoke see that car park
… and maybe not happier because of the result but because of the performance. Brilliantly done by Crewe, 4 months of hurt and frustration was finally ended. We looked a good team again. Good passing and off the ball movement, Ashton took the Reading defenders to the cleaners and the team just wanted it more than they’ve shown in ages.
It, maybe, would have been classed as a average performance before Christmas but it’s what we need to build up again and it’s what we’ve been waiting to see. The team selections have baffled fans recently but Dario has had it spot on, four points from our last two isn’t bad. Maybe the players are seeing that they’re no invincible and the reserves of Higdon and Symes can, and will, come in and take their places.
Dean Ashton, for the umpteenth time, was superb. If he’s not one of the top five strikers in this division then I’ve lost faith in football. His work rate really defies Neil Bakers comments after the Watford home game, maybe the comments have spurred Dean on. He’s starting to look Premiership quality and some of his touches, including perfect back heels, were just breath taking. Well done Dean.
It took fans a good 40 minutes for the car park at Reading to get going, you couldn’t help but think what Stoke fans would do in that situation. Ohh, they wouldn’t be happy.
So, 52 points is enough? Well I said we were safe last week, so we’re still safe. I think a win on Saturday is in order. Lets make Gresty Road a fortress again and maybe the fans could take a look at Portsmouth supporters - how about one of those atmosphere’s?
Player Ratings
Williams - 7 - Only had two saves to make and delt with them. Whether you can blame him for the goal is your opinion but I think he had the piss taken out of him by the defence.
McCready - 6 - He’s not a wide player and John Salako ripped him apart. Not a fantastic game.
Foster - 7 - Didn’t give Owusu much of a chance for 90 minutes. Decent enough.
Moses - 6 - Possibly him and Wright to blame for calling offside on the goal and stop playing, and gave Kitson far too many headers. His clearances were hit and miss as well.
Wright - 7 - Played at left back and didn’t do too badly but as above, possibly to blame for the goal.
Lunt - 8 - His best game in ages. Found space all over the pitch and his passing was good aswell. Excellent goal aswell.
Brammer - 8 - Battled till the death, or when he went off. Controlled the game for the first half and dismantled Reading’s midfield on his own.
Sorvel - 7 - Kept Sidwell well and truly silent but too negative in his play - again.
Vaughan - 5 - Just not effective but I don’t blame him, I blame Dario. Playing him on the right has to be the most stupid thing ever. He was appalling in the second half.
Ashton - 9 - Said it all above. Class above for ninety minutes. CreweAlex.com man of the match.
Jones - 6 - Missed too many chances and wasn’t using his pace to great effect.