Bout of Sobriety

Crewe P-P Southend
As I suggested in my last post, the game against Southend tomorrow has been postponed. The run of low temperatures has seen night-time temperatures dropping well below the -5C, which is the lower limit of the pitch cover's effective working temperature. The forecast thaw has arrived, but too late to save the game - the frozen pitch is unlikely to unfreeze before tomorrow and, given the distance from Southend and the time that travelling supporters would have to set off, an early postponement was probably sensible. Let's just hope that the thaw continues this week and that the pitch is ready for Saturday's game at home to Northampton.

Winter Solstice Blues

Accrington Stanley P-P Crewe

With winter still firmly gripping the country and temperatures struggling to rise above freezing, Crewe's Boxing Day trip to Accrington has been postponed due to a frozen pitch. Good early decision, meaning we can all make alternate plans. No chance of a thaw before the middle of next week from the look of it, so the game on the 28th must also be in doubt.

Ice In The Sun

Crewe P-P Bradford

To no great surprise, in the midst of the coldest December since 1891 a frozen pitch saw this game called off. Well, I say 'frozen pitch', but in actual fact, under the covers, the pitch was playable. Unfortunately, as soon as the covers were removed the pitch started freezing in the sub-zero temperatures and the referee decided it was going to become dangerous, so called the game off.

Just Another Bubble

Stockport 3 Crewe 3

Have to be honest, but memories of this game are a little hazy. That might have something to do with starting on the ale in Wetherspoons in Manchester at about half ten in the morning... We were celebrating Matt's 30th birthday and what better way to celebrate a birthday than by having a few beers and watching the Alex? Don't answer that - it was a rhetorical question.
Beers were good we started in the Wetherspoons with breakfast and beer, moved on to the Old Wellington and thence to The Waldorf before a short train ride to Stockport and into the Robert Peel  (or John Peel as one of my companions named it) for a couple of final beers before the game.
From the Peel it was a short stagger to the ground, just in time for kick off. Probably would have been better staying in the pub for the first half though. It was fairly dreadful stuff with neither side looking like they had much of a clue. Unfortunately, the Crewe defence had less of a clue than the Stockport attack. Some woeful indecision from Adam Dugdale allowed Assoumani to easily win the ball and slip it past him on the edge of the area. Fletcher then slipped in the area but still had time to knock the ball across goal past the on-rushing keeper for Tansey to slot home a simple opener.  And they nearly doubled their advantage when a shot from Donnelly hit the outside of the post. as half-time drew near, there were plenty of unhappy fans in the crowd, including me. And I was even less happy when I decided to go and get a pie just before the break and missed Clayton Donaldson snatching us an equaliser. Chasing a hopeful punt up field, he barged through two defenders (instead of falling over like he usually does) and finished with aplomb from a tight angle.
The second half was a much more open game with both sides attacking and the game flowing from end-to-end. Crewe took the lead early doors when Donaldson  flicked a cross past Glennon in the Stockport goal. Despite then starting to dominate, Crewe conceded an equaliser as yet more comedy capers in the defence allowed Poole to have two chances from close range. he should never have had the first chance, let alone the second when his shot came back off the post and was knocked back to him in the centre of the goal. Arse. Dugdale didn't manage to stay on the pitch much longer, but to be honest I think most Crewe fans would have taken him off after the first goal. Luckily we didn't have long to wait till Danny Shelley capped a fine performance by lashing in a free-kick from 30 yards to put Crewe back in front.
But, of course, we are Crewe and less than ten minutes later, Stockport were level. Artell was adjudged to have brought down Fletcher on the edge of the area and the referee awarded what looked like a harsh penalty. Having seen the replays, it is very harsh. I've certainly seen incidents like that earn nothing for us this season.Taylor made a good effort but was unable to maintain his run of saving consecutive penalties and a side that had scored just two goals in their last eight games had now put three past us. There was still time for both sides to have chances and Glennon in the Stockport goal made a brilliant save from Donaldson at the death to deny us all three points. 
Overall, very frustrating, but typically Crewe. Starting to look like we can score for fun (we are the leading goalscorers in the leagues) but also looking like we can let them in for fun too. Might have been a slightly different result if we'd had Lee Bell in the middle to shield the back four a bit, but then we wouldn't have had Shelley, who was close to being man of the match.
Anyway, after the match it was off to Wilmslow for a few more beers and then back to Crewe for more beers and then I went up to The Box to see a couple of bands. I was very drunk and so it probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had. Oh well, at least I managed to get home safe and sound and picked up a curry on the way. result.
Next up for Crewe is Bradford at home, but with frost forecast along with snow and sub-zero temperatures, I'm not holding my breath that it'll be on.

Chinese Laundry Blues

Crewe P-P Wycombe
It came as no great surprise, given the weather conditions, but the upcoming Saturday game against Wycombe was called off at lunchtime today. Not a terrible disappointment for me, to be honest, as I've got to pop round to my sister's on Saturday to do my washing. My washing machine is in the outhouse and has frozen up in the cold conditions. I'm running out of clean pants so can't wait for it to thaw, sadly. Of course, now the Crewe game has been called off, the temperature is bound to soar over the next two days and we'll all be walking down the streets in T-shirts and shades... Alright, maybe not.
There might be another update following the outcome of the World Cup bid, but, to be honest, it'll most likely be next week, after the Stockport game.

Rockin' All Over The World

Morecambe 1 Crewe 2

Didn't go. Was expecting to when this game was originally scheduled for Tuesday 23rd November but, because both teams were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first time of asking, they re-arranged the game for last Saturday. The Saturday that I'd booked up more than three months ago for a weekend piss-up and Status Quo in Bridlington.  We won. I was pleased. The Quo were very good. We all got very drunk.

Slide Machine

Crewe 0 Rotherham 1

Having not managed to fit in the "lucky" walk before any of Crewe's previous defeats, I was off out early on Saturday morning for another yomp round Bickerton Hills. This time we (myself and my mate Charlie) took the same loop as before the seven nil thrashing of Barnet, but in reverse. That is, we walked it in the opposite direction, not walked backwards... In the reverse direction, the loop starts with a steep descent  then climbs to the top of Rawhead before descending back to the starting point. In terms of manageability for unfit, fat bastards like me, it's a lot easier than finishing with the steep descent. In terms of luck, the gods clearly demand more effort and I should have walked it in the original direction.
Mind you, the way Crewe played on Saturday afternoon, I don't think it would have helped if I'd walked it a couple more times. They were pretty dire. Rotherham got off to a flying start and were ahead after less than two minutes when Crewe defender Dugdale knocked a corner into his own net. After that, Rotherham dominated the game and could have been out of sight before the twenty minute mark was reached. Luckily, they weren't and Crewe had a glorious chance to level the scores when Westwood went through with only the keeper to beat. Unfortunately Westwood dragged his shot just wide of the far post. Donaldson then saw a snap shot well saved by the Rotherham keeper but that was about the sum total of the Crewe efforts on goal in the first half.  Meanwhile Rotherham looked comfortable and threatened every time they had a corner. Crewe's switch to three at the back was not doing them any favours. In the end we were all slightly relieved to get to half time trailing by a single goal.
Dario isn't one for making changes at half time, and to be fair, he had few options available to him on the bench. The second half saw a better display from the Alex, but they weren't creating anyway near enough chances to threaten an equaliser. and when Dugdale did force the Rotherham keeper into action, the referee awarded a goal-kick instead of the obvious corner. Mind, the ref wasn't having a great game - a couple of times in the second half he awarded what looked like harsh free-kicks and then almost immediately gave a free-kick the other way to even things up. No arguing about the penalty decision., though. Ada was bean by a deep cross and had his hand up when the striker headed it back across. Definite handball. Fortunately, Taylor made a superb save from Le Fondre's spot kick to keep the score at nil one. despite that let-off Crewe couldn't make the most of it and the game ended with Rotherham looking fairly comfortable.
Disappointing. Hard to tell though whether Crewe played that badly or Rotherham made them look poor. Certainly Rotherham look a decent team, perhaps the best that we've seen at Gresty Road so far this season. And that lucky walk route is clearly now off the list. Might have to try to seven nil direction next time I get out to the hills. But that won't be this weekend when I'm off to Bridlington for a long-arranged trip to see Status Quo, or next weekend when Charlie is in Edinburgh. Might have to have a stroll along the canal or something instead.....

Inside My Glass of Hours

Gillingham 1 Crewe 3
Some comedy capers with ongoing foot knack following my trip to Tamworth and long night with old friends dissuaded me from making the 450-mile round trip to Gillingham. So I was reduced to listening to the game on crackle-heavy Medium Wave, courtesy of Radio Stoke. Sounded like a good game, from the Crewe perspective. The away side should, by all accounts, have been ahead long before Gillingham were reduced to ten men following the sending-off of debutant Callum Davies. After the sending-off Crewe took control of the game and went ahead courtesy of an accidental goal from Byron Moore. For all his good work against the Gillingham full-backs he was getting no reward until a cross was missed by the defender and ricocheted in off Moore's shoulder. Fair play to Gillingham though - they didn't crumble. After seeing one goal chalked off for offside, they forced Crewe' keeper Rhys Taylor into action a couple of times. Just before the break Donaldson added to the total. Moore surged down the left, beating the full-back, and pulled the ball back to Donaldson, who spun and placed a shot in at the far post.  Two nil, and that should have been that.
Still, they are Crewe and in the second half they conceded an early goal to set the nerves jangling again.Gills pushed hard for an equaliser but Crewe weathered the storm. In the end, as the Gills ran out of steam, Crewe notched a third  as Murphy set Miller free down the middle and he finished with aplomb to hand Crewe the win.
So another three points on the road and Crewe climbing back up the table, albeit only by a couple of places. Another tricky game coming up though, at home to Rotherham, who are going well this season. Not going for my lucky walk though, so it could be another defeat. :-( 

The Party's Over

Carlisle 3 Crewe 1
Johnstone Paints Trophy 3rd Rnd Northern Section
Having flopped out of the FA Cup on Saturday, many supporters were looking to this Johnstone Paints Trophy game to keep their season alive. How realistic was that? Away to a side a league above us and with the leaders in the team (Bell and Artell) being rested.....
I didn't go because, as mentioned before, I don't really care about the JPT.  I was watching Nantwich Town outplay Cammell Laird in the Cheshire Senior Cup. That was a decent game although Nantwich did shoot themselves in the foot by giving away a comedy goal in the first minute. Once they got back in the game there was only going to be one winner. Mind they did have to endure a nervy last ten minutes or so when they were reduced to ten men. No foul play involved this time but they'd made all their substitutions and then Kyle Blake was unable to continue and went off injured. Lairds pulled a goal back with a couple of minutes to go but if they'd got another to force the game into extra time it would have been a travesty. Nantwich could, indeed should, have been out of sight before the 70 minute mark. Still, they won and that's the main thing.
Unlike Crewe, who didn't win. Accounts of the performance vary but all mention Donaldson's woeful finishing and Crewe's re-discovered fallibility at set-pieces (corners and free-kicks).  No surprise with either to be honest. Your main defensive organiser gets the night off, and the defence falls apart. Shock! As for Donaldson - if he could score every chance he gets, he wouldn't still be with us after two and a bit seasons. He is, at least, still getting into the positions to miss the chances. Let's hope he gets into position to have a few chances on Saturday.

My Cup Runneth Over

Tamworth 2 Crewe 1
FA Cup 1st Round
Generally, if you want to progress in the FA Cup the last thing you want in the first round is a tie away to non-league opposition. Lowly non-leaguers at your place, yes. Teams from the league below at their place, no. And so it proved for Crewe. Approximately 12 months after going out to York at their ground, Crewe were dumped out of the competition by Tamworth at their place.
Can't say Tamworth didn't deserve it. They were the better side for large parts of the match, scored a superb second goal and defended manfully when Crewe threw everything at them for the last ten minutes. In truth the margin could have been greater, but then it also could have been a very different result if Donaldson had put away either of the one-on-ones he had with the keeper before half-time or Grant had done the same with two chances he had in the first 45 minutes.
Tamworth's recent league form had been pretty dismal, but on their own patch, with the crowd behind them, they found an extra gear and took on Crewe in all areas on the park. They'd done their homework, of course, and played with an extra man in midfield to close down our midfielders and restrict their time and space. It wasn't entirely effective, as Westwood and Moore both managed to create chances for Donaldson, but it largely worked. And following the pattern of the recent defeats against Port Vale and Shrewsbury, Crewe were on the back foot fairly early on as they conceded an avoidable goal after about fifteen minutes. A deep cross was missed by Taylor and Tamworth's Rodman (that's his name by the way,  not his position) smashed in a shot off the despairing lunge of Artell. One nil and the upset was very much on the cards. Crewe though weren't going to roll over and have their tummies tickled. Donaldson, Grant and Donaldson all wasted good chances to level. But like the last couple of weeks - the difference between creating the chances and taking the chances was what decided the game.
In the second half Crewe came out firing and looked to put pressure on the home side. And it was slightly against the run of play that Tamworth increased their lead. A decent attack was broken up by the midfielders snapping back but a heavy touch from Ada gave Thomas the time and space to curl a peach of a shot over Taylor and into the far top corner. A great goal and one worthy of winning any game. It certainly seemed to have won the game as Crewe looked very deflated. To be fair, Dario Gradi made some rapid changes with Blanchett replacing Mitchell-King and Leitch-Smith on for the  ineffective Joel Grant, but Crewe struggled to carve out any clear cut chances. As the match drew to a close they managed three shots in fairly quick succession but the Tamworth keeper only had to make one decent save. Westwood pulled a goal back with two minutes of normal time left after there was confusion in the Tamworth penalty area and he poked home at the far post but even with five minutes of injury time, Crewe couldn't find another way through the Tamworth rearguard and were deservedly dumped out of the Cup at the first time of asking.

Stripmining

Crewe 1 Shrewsbury 2

Following defeat in the local derby against Port Vale, Crewe had a chance to show some bouncebackability at home to Shrewsbury. Sadly, that all went titsup after about five minutes when a mix up between defender Ada and goalkeeper Taylor led to Ada poking the ball past the keeper to give Matt Wright a simple tap-in at the far post and put the Shrews one up. That took the wind right out of Crewe's sails and they struggled to make an impact on the game for much of the first half. Indeed they were lucky not to fall further behind when Shrewsbury struck the post and then the bar in quick succession. Gradually Crewe got a foothold in the game but with Donaldson failing to hold the ball up front (mainly due to Geoghegan persistently fouling him, in my opinion) the play was disjointed and tended to break down once the ball was played forward.  It was notable, however, that Shrewsbury were quite happy to play for time and seemed to be settling for the one nil win well before half time. 
In the second half Crewe changed their system a little and started to get a foothold in the game. and even managed to level the game fairly quickly. Donaldson lost the ball out wide on the left but Miller came bustling in to win it back. Miller's tidy pass sent Donaldson into the are and he held the ball up for the supporting Miller to run onto and slide past the goalkeeper. After that Crewe were pretty much in charge of the game.  However, for all their good work and positive play, they were creating little in front of goal. Donaldson was struggling against the man-mountain Geoghegan and Miller's first touch let him down far too often. The midfield were still being out-muscled and Shrews posed a threat on the counter-attack. A threat fully realised when Ada tripped Robinson in the area to give Shrewsbury a penalty. Luckily for Ada, Taylor got both hands to Robinson's poor spot-kick and Blanchett completed the clearance to keep the scores level. Having survived that scare, both Donaldson and Moore should have done better when given shooting chances. And then, in a crucial turning point, Donaldson beat the offside trap and was through, albeit out wide on the right. Shrewsbury keeper Neal rushed out to try to avert the danger and Donaldson went down under his challenge. To be fair, I thought Donaldson went down a little easily and as the foul was wide and outside the box it could be argued it wasn't a goal-scoring opportunity, but I was still disappointed to see the referee only produce a yellow card. Insult followed injury, so to speak, as Crewe wasted the resulting free-kick.
As the game drifted towards a draw Crewe were caught on the counter-attack but Taylor easily gathered Leslie's weak shot. Sadly, Crewe didn't take notice of that warning and in the 93rd minute were again caught with too many players upfield leaving Shrewsbury with three strikers against our three attackers. Wright, the man with the ball, didn't need his companions as he turned Artell easily and then placed a shot past Taylor from the edge of the area to give the Shrews the win.
There wasn't time for Crewe to respond and so they fell to a second defeat in four days. As with Port Vale, I don't think they deserved that, but if you give daft goals away, I guess you're always going to struggle. Hopefully this is just a blip and they can get back on another unbeaten run, but I'm certainly a lot less confident going in to Saturday's FA Cup game at Tamworth. After that, there are some more tough games to come this month and it could make or break our season. But let's get the FA Cup game out of the way first....

Happy House

Port Vale 2 Crewe 1

So, for the first time this season Crewe met Port Vale in a derby match that both sets of fans say isn't a derby, and yet saw the biggest turnout at Vale Park in 9 years and almost 1400 Crewe fans make the short trip south. First, though, I headed north for a few beers in Sandbach. Had a couple in the Red Lion and then went to the Black Bear, which was a bit of a mistake, mainly because it was pretty dead. Still, the beer (Coach House's Dick Turpin) was alright, as was the company. Leaving there, there was just time to grab some nosh from Chatwins and have a cheeky pint in the military Arms before heading off down t' road.
Arriving at "the Wembley of the North" it was straight in and off to the bar to be ripped-off for a  couple of plastic bottles of beer. Despite the price (£3.10 for a 500ml bottle) some Crewe fans decided to shower the rest of us with their beer anyway. Clearly they get too much pocket money....
Anyway, the game kicked off and, as expected, Port Vale were right in Crewe's faces. Griffith earned himself a booking for a lunge on Westwood after just two minutes and that would come back to haunt him later. The opening passage of play were scrappy and Mitchell-King, in at right-back was having a torrid time against Loft. And Loft it was who was given time to whack in a cross on to Dodds' head for the opening goal. After that the Vale seemed to go into their shells a bit and Crewe began to create openings. But every time they got a chance they either took the wrong option or shot tamely, until Donaldson teed up Westwood for a volley that former Crewe keeper Tomlinson did wonderfully well to keep out. Things just weren't dropping for Crewe and even when Tomlinson blundered they couldn't force the ball home.  As the half drew to a close most Crewe fans were still confident that the side could get something out of the game.
Port Vale started the second half looking to put the game to bed but Crewe saw off their challenge and, having adapted to match Vale's formation began to dominate the game. Unfortunately, they were still lacking a cutting edge up front until Miller came on after 55minutes or so. Almost immediately he set up Moore, who saw Tomlinson block his shot. Several minutes later Miller himself put a 25-yarder just past the post. But then, for the Alex at least, disaster struck. Another former Alex player, Roberts, pinched the ball off Artell and charged towards the penalty area. Taylor came out to block the loose ball and Roberts went over him, somewhat theatrically, it has to be said.. It looked like Taylor had got a hand to the ball first, but the referee pointed to the spot. Marc Richards sent Taylor the wrong way to put the Vale two ahead. Crewe had a mountain to climb. As the Alex poured forward  trying to get back into the game, they were handed a lifeline when Griffith handled a throw in the penalty area. The referee pointed to the spot, but also produced a second yellow for Griffith which left the Vale down to ten men with about ten minutes to go. Donaldson reduced the arrears by smashing the penalty into the top corner. Crewe huffed and puffed for the last ten minutes trying to make their one man advantage pay but were guilty of some poor-decision making and some woeful shooting. Lee Bell wasted a glorious chance when putting a free-kick well over from just outside the box. Then Tomlinson made another good save to deny Ada from close range, before Miller tried an audacious (and some would say ridiculous) overhead kick, which landed on the roof of the net. And that was pretty much that. The Vale held on to win the non-derby derby and the bragging rights, at least for the next few months.
Overall, I was a bit disappointed with the result but, credit to Port Vale, they were a decent side. Definitely one of the better sides we've played so far, and they were apparently without their two influential wingers. That said, we had Tootle playing on the left due to Blanchett's absence and I think he might have coped better with Loft than Mitchell-King did. Mind once we switched to 3 at the back Ada didn't seem to have too much trouble from him...  Still, that's the game done and dusted and unfortunately the good run has come to an end, but as Dario said afterwards, we have to start another one now. Dario was at least measured and composed in his post-match interview unlike Micky Adams', the Port Vale manager, who just came across as a childish, spiteful chump.
Let's let that go, though - there's still two-thirds of the season to go and nothing's ever decided in October. Onwards and back upwards as Crewe take on third-placed Shrewsbury on Tuesday night. Time to show some bouncebackability.

Delayed Reaction

Crewe 3 Aldershot 1

Apologies for a slightly late update on the weekend's capers but been a busy bee. More of that after the match report....
Having gone a fair few matches unbeaten now, many Crewe fans were confident of getting something out of this one. Aldershot are no mugs though and hadn't got into the top 7 by accident. They don't score many but they don't let many in either. Until last Saturday, they had the second-meanest defence in the division....And it wasn't too hard to see why they had such a good defensive record - they were well organised at the back and the midfield were more than willing to do their share of defensive duties. Up front they had the pace and trickery of some decent players. Indeed, Crewe once looked at buying winger Damian Spencer  but his injury record counted against him.
The first half was a tight affair with both sides have a sniff at goal. Aldershot had the better chances early doors but Crewe gradually got into the game and it was fairly even for both sides. It wasn't too difficult though to see why Aldershot haven't scored that many goals this season. With chances at a premium, most of their efforts were blasted wide or blocked. They had a shout for a penalty too, but from where I was sat it looked like a dive. Meanwhile up the other end, Crewe's forwards were contriving to lose the ball in good positions and it looked like being a frustrating afternoon. Then, just before half-time, the game turned. Westwood played a ball to the feet of Donaldson in the middle of the park and he back-heeled it to Joel Grant. In acres of space Grant drew a man towards him before slipping the ball forward to Moore on the edge of the area. Moore held off his marker and made room to hit a shot past the keeper's despairing left hand. Two minutes later and Crewe were further ahead. After some neat passing, Westwood played in Blanchett overlapping down the left and he got the byline and cut the ball back for Grant to pass the ball into the far corner. Two nil and that was, to be fair, a bit harsh on the visitors.
As I said earlier, Aldershot are no mugs and they proved that in the second half. A couple of changes of personnel made all the difference and they carried more of a goal threat. Having survived a scare when Donaldson really should have added a third, Aldershot were back in the game just seven minutes  in. Good work down the left led to a low cross coming in and Jackson was one of three players waiting in the box for it. He had a simple tap-in and it was game on. Luckily for fans of a nervous disposition, Crewe restored their two goal cushion just six minutes later. Donaldson, taking the ball forward was caught, but the referee played advantage and the ball went out to Murphy on the right. He made it to the byline and put an inch-perfect cross on to the head of the onrushing Westwood, who powered the ball into the top corner.  Surely there'd be no coming back from that? Well, clearly not. There was however, a long stoppage after Blanchett went down following a clash of heads. He was stretchered off and a reshuffle saw Mitchell-King coming on at right-back and Tootle switching across to the vacant left-back slot.  Crewe still carried a threat going forward but Aldershot gave us a nervy last twenty minutes as they threw everything forward in order to try to get something out of the game. Jackson showed good skill to turn in the box and let off a shot. It beat the keeper but came ricocheting back off the bar. Then a header hit the outside of the post and Jackson was again a little unlucky as it bounced up and hit his hand as he tried to bring it under control. a few crosses also flashed across the box with no Aldershot player managing to get a decisive touch. In the end, and despite 9 minutes of injury time, Crewe held on.
The three points were more than welcome and moved the Alex above Aldershot and into the play-off places for the first time this season. Aldershot were a touch unlucky, though and on another day could have come away with a draw. Still, onwards and upwards and next up is the small matter of a local derby with neighbours-across-the-border, Port Vale. The Vale have been flying until recent weeks when the curse of the Manager of the Month award struck and they've not won in four. They've only lost one of them those, so bound to be a tricky game. Looking forward to it though.

Anyway, in other news, the reason I've been a bit slow with this update is that I've been out watching other games. Sunday I went to Gresty Road to watch a Charity XI take on a side captained by Italian legend Franco Baresi. It was a decent game and good fun, although a little cold. Baresi's team were leading 2-1 at half-time but took advantage as the other side tired and ran out 8-3 winners. Baresi himself came off with about ten minutes left and then spent five of those minutes signing autographs on his way back to the changing room. Top man.  Following that, I spent Monday night watching Nantwich Town Youth in the FA Youth Cup against Fleetwood. Nantwich were undone by a soft first goal when a defensive mix-up between keeper and full-back let in the opposition striker. The second goal was well-worked but the third was a disputed penalty and there seemed to be no way back from there. Nantwich did pull one back just before half-time and played much better in the second half. Mind, the tackles were flying in fast and furious  throughout that second half and it was a surprise to me that no one got sent off. Indeed the ref kept his cards in his pocket, even when there was a bit of "handbags" following one particularly tasty challenge. Nantwich pulled a second goal back but they'd given themselves too much of a mountain to climb and Fleetwood saw the game out to win 3-2.  In marked contrast, last night I went to see Crewe Youth in the same competition and they played opponents AFC Fylde off the park. They won 4-0 but really it could, indeed should, have been more emphatic. Harry Clayton got the first, knocking in the rebound after Powell's exquisite chip came back off the bar. Then Powell himself scored a tap in after good work down the left, The second half was a little more even as Crewe took their foot off the gas a bit but they still looked comfortable. Koral added a third with a drive from distance which caught out the keeper on the near post - he, like everyone else in the ground was expecting a cross. Then Sean Cooke got up to score the penalty that he had won. To be honest, I felt a bit sorry for the Fylde lads - they were obviously outclassed and one or two of them were getting wound up by it. There was no disgrace in being beaten by a bunch of lads who play against the likes of Manchesters Utd and City, Liverpool and Everton every week. Not to mention the two England U16 Internationals in the team...
So that's it for me - busy football week next week too - Vale away on Saturday and then Shrewsbury at home on Tuesday night. Four points (or more) from them games should set us up nicely for the trip to Tamworth in the first round of the FA Cup. Bring it on.

To The Sea

Southend 0 Crewe 2

Bleedin' typical. Crewe finally keep a clean sheet and it's 250 miles away, in front of about 250 hardy souls who made the long trek. I was tempted by the trip all week but didn't get round to sorting out stuff at home so ended up with a bag of stuff that needed doing on Saturday morning. And, to be honest, I was a bit skint, so didn't want to over-stretch the old budget.
Instead I once again spent my Saturday afternoon watching Nantwich Town and half-listening to Radio Stoke for updates. (I really ought to get a portable DAB radio for such occasions as these...). Whilst I was hearing of goal-line clearances and a missed penalty  for Crewe, Nantwich were enjoying a largely untroubled passage into the next round of the FA Trophy. Two virtually identical goals from Lennon put Nantwich in the driving seat. They conceded a soft penalty to let lower league opponents, Prescot Cables, back into the match briefly, but Lennon notched another couple before half time to kill the match off. The second half was largely no-contest. Prescot attacked sporadically but Nantwich were comfortable and looked like scoring on every attack. Prescot did notch another goal but Blake and Whittaker both got on the score sheet for Nantwich to give them a deserved 6-2 win. The only downside of the day was seeing Tickle carried off at the end following a heavy challenge. He has apparently broken his ankle and won't be back before Christmas.
Anyway, am off to watch Nantwich again tonight, rather than attend the Crewe Fans' Forum. I've been to too many of those forums and they're always the same. People demand action and angry questions beforehand but  none ever materialises and then chairman John Bowler spins anything awkward away anyway. Dario is usually more interesting but you can still pretty much predict his stock answers. 

Ball Of Confusion

Crewe 3 Torquay 3

Crazy, crazy times. Having come away from the Macclesfield league game eleven days ago thinking that Crewe's strikers looked they couldn't score in a month of Sundays, we've now scored 12 in our last three games. Similarly, after thinking the defence looked a lot more solid compared to previous years, we've now conceded 10 goals in those same three games.
Yesterday was a bit strange all round. I didn't go for my lucky walk - I'd got a mid-morning doctor's appointment and Charlie was visiting a friend so we couldn't fit it in. My usual matchday companion was missing, presumed pissed, at a pool tournament in Great Yarmouth, so I went with another colleague from work and there was a queue stretching back up Gresty Road outside the ticket office at quarter to three. A sight not seen for a few seasons.
And after about fifteen minutes or so, I was fearing the worst. From a corner, Torquay picked out the unmarked Ellis, who powered a header home.  Then from a free-kick Ellis again found himself unmarked to head home number two. Two set pieces and two goals. Looked like our defensive woes were going to continue. However after that, I thought Crewe came back into the game but they weren't really creating any clear cut chances and with Lee Bell having an off day in the middle of the park were struggling to get the passing game going. Still, we got a lifeline just before the break when Torquay defender Branston was judged to have handled the ball and a penalty was awarded. Lee Bell stepped up and compounded his bad day by blasting it on to the bar. Cue general dismay and feeling that it might not be our day. Luckily Donaldson was in the right place to volley home after the ball looped up to him off a defender. Going into the half-time break only one down was better than we could have expected after the early exchanges.
Went for a pint at half time but the queue was so long I gave up as I got the feeling I wouldn't have time to drink it and get back to my seat in time. And that's the first time I've done that too!
Anyway, Crewe came out  fired up n the second half and were looking the better side but still really struggling to create clear-cut chances. And on 67 minutes disaster struck, when Lee Bell brought down Benyon inside the Crewe half and he launched an attack with a quickly-taken free-kick. O'Kane found himself with time and space to pick his spot and Crewe were once again two goals down. Arse!
For once, Dario responded by taking off Donaldson and Grant and bringing on Miller and Leitch-Smith. With those two, especially Miller, running at a tiring defence things started to get a bit stretched. After some clever work down the right the ball came across to Westwood who volleyed it home from about twenty yards or so. A super shot, well worth checking out on the BBC highlights. And then just four minutes later there was a scramble in the penalty area as the ball bobbled around and Branston brought down Leitch-Smith for the referee to award Crewe a second penalty of the afternoon. This time Westwood stepped up and made no mistake to level the scores at three apiece.
With about quarter of an hour to go there was still time for either side to snatch it, but Crewe were making the better chances. Sub Nick Powell put a close range header over and then Murphy did like wise. Mean while up at the other end Blanchett had to make a goal line clearance to prevent Ellis notching a hat-trick. At the end I think the Crewe fans were more pleased with the draw than the Torquay ones. We've criticised Crewe for not being able to close out games from two up, so it was good to see us do that to another side, for a change.
So, it's now nine games unbeaten and raining goals. Trouble is the draws aren't enough to stop us sliding down the table. Would quite happily settle for some boring 1-0 wins right now, to be honest. Next up is Southend away and I won't be making the trek for that one. Well, I'm not planning to, right now, that could change during the week, of course. Think it'll be another tough game and I'll settle for a draw.

I'm Not Hanging Around

Macclesfield 2 Crewe 4
(Johnstone's Paints Trophy, Round 2)

Didn't go to this one either as I wasn't feeling too good and it's a ball ache getting back from Macc on public transport. Plus I'm not that bothered about the "Gayers Cup that no none cares about till they get to the final" as a friend described it. Probably should have made the effort as I missed out on three own goals, a penalty and some sublime attacking football.

Boy, Missing

Chesterfield 5 Crewe 5

Well, I'll be honest. I wasn't there. Had planned to go but a family get-together knackered my plans. Possibly could have made it had I had a jet plane or teleporter available in order to get back from Chesterfield in time. Sadly, I can afford neither.
Made do instead with going to watch Nantwich Town at home to Kendal in the Evo-Stik Premier League (the league formerly known as the Northern Premier League). I could at least pretend it was a scouting mission of sorts, as Crewe's Jordan Connerton turned out for his first appearance in a month-long loan spell at Nantwich. It didn't take him long to make an impact, playing the ball into acres of space on the edge of the area for Blackhurst to run on to and smash into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. Minutes later there was a moment of magic from former Crewe winger, Rodney Jack as he took on several defenders before slotting home Nantwich's second. In the meantime news was filtering through from some old Alex boys, glued to their radios, that Crewe were two up at Chesterfield. That soon went to 3, and in some kind of spooky response, Nantwich added a third.themselves as Connerton again laid the ball into space for Carr to lash home. Nantwich added a fourth from a corner, when the keeper flapped at it and Lennon poked home from close range. meantime oer in Chesterfield, the home side had pulled one back before Crewe restored their lead. and Kendal finally got on the score sheet at the Dabberdome.
Both games hit half time with scorelines of 4-1, as if Nantwich and Crewe were competing to see who could score the most. Sadly, that's where the similarities ended. Nantwich soon added a fifth and the game was as good as over. There was still time for a nervy last quarter of an hour after Nantwich's normally reliable keeper, Chapman, misjudged one at the far post and then Tickle slammed a low cross into his own net to make the score 5-3. Over in Chesterfield, Crewe were making a right pig's ear of it and started to crumble under constant Chesterfield pressure. A second Chesterfield goal and then a third from the penalty spot had the alarm bells ringing. Normal service appeared to be resumed when Donaldson notched a fifth for the Alex, but there was still time enough for Chesterfield to get a second penalty and then grab an unlikely equaliser to draw the game five apiece. Unbelievable, Jeff! As someone once said.
Let's hope we're a bit better defensively at home to Torquay this weekend. The Gulls haven't won since storming to the top of the league in August. Shit. Think I might just have jinxed it!

The Disappointed

Crewe 1 Macclesfield 1

There should have been no need for a lucky walk for Crewe to beat Macclesfield at home, but clearly our wayward strikers need some sort of cosmic assistance. An evening of missed chances and a touch of luck ended with Crewe snatching a draw from a game that should have been won before half time.
Macclesfield actually made the better start with Barnett getting a shot off that Taylor did well to deflect. Thereafter Crewe took control of the game, but despite creating plenty, never really made a clear cut chance. Miller put in a cross that only just evaded Bell, Westwood curled an effort wide and Donaldson wasted a good position. In amongst all that Macclesfield managed to beat the Crewe offside trap, but Taylor did enough to prevent Draper taking advantage. Half time came and despite Crewe dominating the game, it was all square.
The second half kicked off with Crewe looking to improve on their first half showing. Powell replaced Grant and the Alex were immediately on the front foot. Miller forced a good save from the Macclesfield keeper and then had an great chance in the area, but could only lift the ball high and wide. Disaster followed as Macclesfield won a corner and Barnett powered in a header. It could have been worse as Macc soon had the ball in the net a second time but fortunately it was ruled out for a foul.  Crewe started throwing men forward as the half wore on and Donaldson hit the outside of the post with a chance, but despite the territory and possession, Crewe couldn't force the Macc keeper into a meaningful save. With the arrival of Moore and Leitch-Smith for Donaldson and Murphy, Crewe upped the pressure even further but it looked like being one of those games. Luckily, salvation arrived as Powell carried the ball into the area and as he was tackled it ricocheted to Leitch-Smith, who stepped inside a challenge and slotted the ball into the far corner to level the game.
Both sides looked for a winner in the five minutes of injury time, with Miller coming closest for Crewe, but neither side really looked like pinching it. In the end, it was a relief to get a draw from a game we looked like losing, but overall it was disappointing to only get a point at home. Seven games unbeaten we may be, but that includes five draws and two consecutive draws at home. Got to start notching up some wins, although the fixtures don't give us much room for optimism.
Next up a trip to Chesterfield for the Alex. And a day at home for me as I've got family coming over so can't make the trip.

If I Can't Change Your Mind

Crewe 1  Oxford 1

Well, clearly the lucky walk up in Bickerton Hills didn't quite work this week. I'm putting that down to an addition to the personnel on the walk and a late change of route.  I also didn't go into the bar before the game either this week. Mainly because I was running a bit late, but also because I was off to the Nantwich Beer Festival after the game, so didn't want to spoil that. Still, that's now six unbeaten and we became the first team to score at home against Oxford, who hadn't conceded a goal on their travels.
The first half was a bit poor, to be honest. Oxford set out as expected - two banks of four and everyone behind the ball when they didn't have it. They were inviting us to break them down and, as usual, we struggled against a team defending in numbers. Miller went close with a free-kick and things finally paid off when, from a fortuitously won corner, Artell powered a header in at the near post. By my reckoning that now means we've scored as many goals from corners this season as we've managed in the previous three....
We got to half time ahead but many of the faithful were convinced we'd need a second to kill Oxford off, despite them offering very little in the way of goal threat.
The second half promised a bit more football from Oxford, as they needed to score to get a point. Having weathered an initial burst though it was Crewe making the chances, with Murphy volleying back across the face of goal and Donaldson tamely poking a through-ball at the Oxford keeper. Then, out of nowhere the game was level. Crewe sent the big men up for a corner, which broke to Oxford's forwards and three of them found themselves with only Blanchett between them and the goal. Blanchett did well in delaying them and Artell bust a gut to get back, but despite Taylor saving his first effort, Constable netted the rebound to level the scores.
Crewe thought they'd regained the lead seven minutes later when Donaldson found some space for a shot, but it took a touch from Miller in an offside position on it's way into the net. Still, the referee and his assistant both indicated it was a goal. The Oxford players, rightly, protested and the referee consulted and in the end disallowed the goal. After that the referee really didn't have any control of the game. A cynical barge on Taylor in the Crewe goal sparked a bit of a melee and Artell was lucky to stay on the pitch as he lashed out when trying to get the ball back. The ref waved a couple of cards about but it was far too late by then. Crewe couldn't create a clear cut chance and then Oxford were reduced to ten men when Constable got a second booking for scything down Tootle when he was going nowhere down the touchline. Zola cam on with about two minutes to play but he was never likely to get into the game and so it proved. Oxford ran the clock down and took away a hard-earned point.
I'm sure they'll be very happy with that - it was probably the limit of their ambition. They set out to defend in numbers, make sure Crewe didn't have an easy game and then try to pinch something on the counter-attack.Which is what happened. I think that if Crewe had a reliable goal-scorer, we might have taken all three points, but we haven't had a truly reliable striker since Nicky Maynard left.... Got to find one though, because there'll be tougher games than that ahead, where we have fewer chances.
Hopefully tonight won't be one of those games, when we welcome local rivals, Macclesfield.

The Drinking Song

Burton 1 Crewe 1

Having started this blog with the purpose of providing relevant updates fairly close to the end of a match, and to try to stop myself consuming vast quantities of alcohol on a matchday, I'm afraid, last Saturday was a fairly comprehensive disaster. Not only did I get horrendously drunk but I also haven't got round to the update till today.
Well, to be fair, if you're visiting a town that dubs itself "the home of Brewing", you do have to sample a few of the available ales. And what better place to sample those ales, I thought, that the Burton Food and Beer Festival? To be honest, any pub in town would probably have been a better starting place. My companion (Slider) and I arrived at 11.30 duly paid our  (rather steep) six pounds entry fee, and found that we were first through the doors and that only one of the four breweries represented was setting up ready to serve punters. Anyway, the lucky man from Burton Bridge Brewery got our custom and we worked our way through the four beers he had available a half pint at a time (Sovereign Gold, XL Bitter, Stairway To Heaven and Bridge Bitter). Well, Slider did, I nipped over to the Freedom Brewery stand to sample their dark lager, which was nice, instead of having a Bridge Bitter. By this time Derventio had set up, so we had a crack at them. I went for a Derventio Barbarian, which looked like coke but tasted nice and Slider had a Cleopatra ("Comin' at Ya!") which seemed alright.
Despite the entertainment on offer (the Gresley Colliery Band) we decided to head off to the ground. Unfortunately, on the way we accidentally stopped off for a quick one in the Alfred on Derby Street. So we only just got to the game in time for kick-off. I had a pint of Guinness on arrival and watched the first twenty minutes or so on TV in the excellent bar under the away end. I ventured out to catch the rest of the first half, in which Burton were on top. Despite this, Crewe had the ball in the back of the net first after Grant nodded home at the far post, but the goal was ruled out for offside. A couple of minutes later and just before half-time, Crewe lost possession in the middle of the park and Magohma was given time and space to pick his spot from 25 yards. 
Second half was much better for Crewe but they struggled to create many clear cut chances and were grateful to Luke Murphy for scoring his second goal in as many matches to level things up. We maybe could have won it, but I was happy to come home with a point. Seen the Alex lose too many games like that on the road to complain when we draw one.
Post-match, there was a brief return to the Beer fest for a couple of other ales and to collect a souvenir glass. We managed to miss the train, so went to the pub round the corner. And managed to miss the next train. Still, we managed to catch the one after that and were in Tamworth just in time to catch an earlier connection back to Crewe, arriving home at about half past eight, somewhat the worse for wear. I caught my connection home, got a takeaway and crashed out on the sofa. Slept through Match of the Day and woke up in time to catch the highlights of the Crewe game on the Football League Show. Result.
Next up is a home game with Oxford this Saturday. So that means an early start for the "lucky" walk up in Bickerton Hills, and also a late finish as I'm off to the Nantwich Beer Festival after the match...

To Love Is To Bury

Crewe 3 Bury 0

Not sure how confident the Bury fans were before this game, but there were plenty of doubts circling in among the Crewe fans. Bury had had a decent start to the season, featured three of our ex-players and are expected to to make the top ten again this season.  One or two were suggesting a draw would be the likely outcome. I, on the other hand, was pretty confident. Not only did I fancy the Alex to win it, but I also had the back up of knowing that I was having a lucky pre-match walk up in Bickerton Hills. After all, it worked against Barnet...
Well, I went for the planned pre-match walk with Charlie and his dog, Wire. As we were a little short of time, we opted for a slightly shorter and less strenuous route than the Barnet walk. It was still enough of a work out for me, of course. Anything sort of slope gets me a bit puffed out these days...
Was slightly concerned though that changing the route might affect the outcome of the game. Well, I only had to wait three minutes into the match for my faith in the walk to be re-affirmed when Bury's central defender, Efe Sodje (a former Crewe favourite) capped a dreadful opening by knocking the ball across the box to Shaun Miller, who buried his shot across the keeper. One nil and a dream start. The Alex had started at a high tempo and the Bury backline were having all sorts of trouble coping with the pace and movement of the Alex forwards and every time they cleared it, it was the Crewe midfield picking up the bits and pieces. 18 minutes in and we had another goal to celebrate and, for the second time this season, the Alex scored from a corner. Westwood whipped it in from the left and Artell was unchallenged in the box to head home. At this stage in the game Bury were struggling to contain the Alex and, to be honest, we should have probably scored at least one more. As the half hour ticked past Bury started to get a foothold in the game but they rarely threatened the Crewe goal and when they did have sight of it, the shots went tamely wide.
Fair play to Bury though, they plugged away and came out and gave it a go for the first ten minutes of the second half. Crewe weathered the storm, such as it was, with few alarms. and then pushed on looking to increase their advantage. The game truly got away from Bury just after the hour mark when former Crewe midfielder Schumacher capped a frustrating display by recklessy clattering into Zola and earning a second booking and first use of the showers. Zola limped on for a few minutes before being replaced by "wonder kid" Nick Powell. Powell's first meaningful contribution was a shot that was well wide and his second was an air-shot at a cross from Donaldson. Fortunately for him, the ball ran through to Murphy who took it into the area and drove a shot in at the far post. 3- 0 to the Alex and it was starting to look like it could be a cricket score. And perhaps it should have been, Donaldson and Miller had both missed good chances and then Powell earned a penalty which Donaldson saw the Bury keeper, Belford, deflect over the bar with his foot. And right at the death Powell, unmarked in the area, somehow managed to volley a cross from Donaldson into the ground and over the bar.
At the final whistle I had to be extremely happy with that. What many people had seen as a tricky game had been negotiated with ease and not only had we kept a clean sheet, but we'd never looked like conceding. Bell had had a man-of-the-match performance in the middle of the park and Artell and Ada had once again looked as good a central defensive partnership we've had for a while. The only downside of the win is, of course, that I'll have to be out for the "lucky" walk again before the next home game against Oxford.  Mind, if we're going to win our home games that comfortably every time, it's worth the sacrifice!

The Spirit of Radio

Stevenage 1 Crewe 1

First missed game of the season for me. As predicted I was too knackered and a bit too skint to afford to travel to Stevenage. I was also put off by the fact that the unofficial supporters' coach left Nantwich at 07. 15 of the a.m. and there was no way I was going to be able to make that! Was almost tempted to hop on the train, but a price approaching £70 for a return ticket dissuaded me. So it was me and trusty Radio Stoke on super-crackly Medium Wave.
To be honest, I'd forgotten what a frustrating experience it can be listening to someone else describe a game that you wish you were at. Especially when one of the commentators has a habit of shouting "Goal!" somewhat prematurely. Still, with a couple of bottles of Batemans XXXB to help me I managed to get through it.
The first half didn't sound particularly inspiring for either team, with the highlights on the commentary being the continual chuntering about the referee forcing Crewe to wear Stevenage's yellow away kit to avoid a clash and then more chuntering after the referee blew for a free-kick to Crewe as Shaun Miller was lashing the ball in to the top corner. (Watching the highlights on the Interweb later, it was clear the Stevenage keeper had heard the whistle and made no effort to save it.) Other than than there was the amusement of Graham McGarry's apparent inability to pronounce the name of Stevenage striker Yemi Odubade. Oh-dee-bayou was what he finally settled on... Of course, old Oh-dee-bayou popped up in the last minute of the half to knock in a rebound and give Stevenage the lead.
Second half sounded much better - Crewe were apparently throwing men forward and all over the Stevenage boys and one slick passing move ended with Westwood picking his spot and curling a right-footed shot into the far corner. 1-1 and all to play for. Stevenage were reduced to ten men just after the hour mark when Stacey Long received his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Then Crewe's Shaun Miller was lucky not to follow him after a rash challenge. Manager Dario Gradi subbed him straight away and the 417 travelling Crewe fans got to watch twenty plus minutes of Nick Powell demonstrating that he'll be the next star off the Crewe production line. According to the radio commentary, Stevenage players were bamboozled by his tricks and pace and resorting to fouling him. The lad even nearly opened his goalscoring account on more than one occasion too. Have since heard plenty of good, and enthusiastic, reports from people who went.
In the end though, Stevenage held on for a point and although many Crewe fans have grumbled about not being able to beat ten men, I think most people would have settled for a point away from home before the match.  Besides the last time we faced ten men away from home, we managed to throw away a 3-1 lead and lost the game 4-3...
The fact that I spent most of Saturday evening and a large part of Sunday dozing in front of the television justified my decision not to go to the game. I really would have been cream crackered if I'd gone and had a few pints too. I didn't really enjoy the radio experience though and am looking forward to being back watching it through my own eyes next weekend. Home to Bury. Think it'll be a tough one, but we shouldn't fear any team in this division. Just need to make sure we hit form, like we did against Barnet, rather than struggle like we did against Hereford.

The Imp-Possible Dream

Lincoln 1 Crewe 1

Back to the bread-and-butter of the league last Saturday, and despite me saying I was going to cut down on the match day drinking, I didn't. After a lengthy coach trip to the ground and collecting my cheap tickets (thanks to an offer in The Sun) we popped in the club bar for a swift one. The beer was horrible, so we headed off into town for some decent refreshment. We passed some likely looking places but settled on the Wetherspoons as we knew that could be relied upon for two things: cheap beer and tramps. After a few pints and some panicking because my phone wouldn't connect to any network, it was back off up to the ground.
Many of us had been quietly confident and that confidence appeared to have been rewarded when Shaun Miller showed good control and quick feet to snaffle up a rebound and slot it past the keeper. One nil up and we were playing well. Unlike my phone, which was still refusing to connect to any network. Still, it couldn't last and I fixed the phone by the simple expedient of turning it off and then back on again. The same was happening on the pitch as Ashley Westwood switched off for a second and was robbed by Albert Jarrett. The Lincoln man still had plenty to do but with the defence rapidly retreating in front of him and none of the midfielders able to catch him, he had time to pick his spot and draw Lincoln level.
After that, it was anybody's game and both sides had chances to take all three points. Crewe probably came closest at the end with Zola heading against a post and then Westwood seeing a defender block his shot on the line, but before that keeper Taylor had come to our rescue with a fine stop after Jarrett had burst clear of the defence.
Overall, a draw was probably a fair result and although both sets of fans went away feeling a bit frustrated, it had been a decent game of football to watch. Both sides tried to play the ball on the deck and knock it around, which seems a stark contrast to much of the "thud and blunder" stuff we witnessed last season. Mind, it is only four games in to the league season, so we've probably got those to come!
Post-match, I grabbed my bag off the coach and headed off up to Grimsby to spend a few days with an old friend of mine. And I had such a good time that it's only now that I feel like writing this update!

Next match up for Crewe is away at Stevenage on Saturday. It looks like being the first game of the season that I'll miss. I didn't fancy the early start on the supporters' coach, and have left it a bit late to book on the official coach. Could go on the train, but having left it to the last minute, the price is a bit steep.Besides which I could do with a lazy weekend to help me recover from last weekend. I know I could regret it, what with it being a new ground and all, but I think I need to save some cash. So I'll be glued to the radio, listening to Graham McGarry shout "Goal!" every time the ball gets near the six yard box, instead.

Falling In Love Again

Crewe 0 Ipswich 1
Carling Cup 2nd Round
Tuesday night was one of those nights. The sort of night that almost makes up for the bitter disappointments of so many other nights. The sort of night you remember why you support your team. The sort of night that gives you hope and makes you believe the good times really could be just around the corner.
Can't say I understood the way the draw for the second round of the Carling Cup was worked out, but when I saw Crewe had got a home draw I was pleased. Then I saw them draw out Ipswich and I was even more pleased. I know a lot of fans poo-poohed it as a "rubbish draw"  but I thought that taking on Roy Keane's Ipswich would be good for us. Home draw, against another Championship side that like to play football, so got to be a chance of an upset. Surely?
After the spanking of Barnet, everyone knew Ipswich would be a much tougher proposition and so it proved. Even so, Crewe proved a match for them. Ipswich arguably shaded the first half, but with both sides having chances, there was little in it. The second half was more even and as it wore on, with extra time looming, the crowd really got behind Crewe. Which was in marked contrast to the second half against Hereford!
In the end Ipswich managed to take a chance deep into the first half of extra time when a poor clearance from a corner fell to David Norris in the penalty area and he buried it. Crewe threw everything at them but couldn't find that precious equaliser despite the vast majority of the crowd willing the ball into the back of the net.
So, disappointment at the final whistle. But only disappointment at the result. The performance was superb. Bell, Westwood and Murphy all gave the lie to the belief that Crewe are only about pretty football, Ada and Artell were immense at the back. Grant seems a different player after a spell on the bench and Donaldson and Miller seem to have improved from last season. All looking good, apart from the injury to Tootle meaning they'll be making do at right back for the next 2 or 3 games. Do have concerns that they still don't have enough strength in depth, but Crewe are a 4th Division club and can't afford to run a squad of forty players any more.
Anyway, onwards and upwards. This weekend it's off to Lincoln who also got their first win of the season last week. They've not been involved in the Carling Cup though, so think they'll be a bit fresher. Could be a tough one. Win or lose, I'll be on the booze as post-match I'm off to see my mate Kev in Grimsby. Next update won't be till Monday, I reckon.

Seven Guns Alive

Crewe 7 (SEVEN) Barnet 0

Matchday morning dawned bright and sunny and I had a hangover and was miles from home. A night out watching The Lockdown at The Box had ended at a friend's house. Time for a swift exit, leaving the lucky lady sleeping, and a stagger across town to get a bus home. On the way to the bus staion I accidentally wandered into HMV and picked up Gogol Bordello's album 'Trans Continental Hustle' for a bargain three quid.
On the way home, I was texted by my mate Charlie, asking if I fancied a walk up along a bit of the Sandstone Trail. My own fault - I told him I was after doing more exercise but wasn't prepared to go to the gym. Given that I hadn't had breakfast and was hungover it probably wasn't a good idea. After about 35 minutes of negotiating ascents and descents along a country path, I was convinced it wasn't a good idea. I'm sure my bright purple face gave Charlie cause for concern too! Not that I'm not grateful - I DO need the exercise and I wouldn't have pushed myself that hard. I should have known it wasn't going to be a gentle stroll - Charlie's a runner and has regularly raced on the trail. That said, I'll do that every week if it guarantees results like this.
The first half didn't actually start that well for Crewe, with Barnet creating a chance virtually straight away,  but after Miller nodded in from two feet following some good work by Grant and Murphy, Crewe's nerves settled and Barnet started going backwards. Their keeper, Jake Cole made a fantastic/lucky save from a Westwood header, turning it over the bar with his foot and then Donaldson blazed an easy chance over, but Crewe were finding a way through with surprising regularity. On 34 minutes Miller sent Donaldson through and he beat the keeper to make it 2-0. Barnet had a chance before half time before it was well saved by Rhys Taylor.
Sipping my half-time pint, I was telling all and sundry that I was hoping that Crewe weren't going to sit back on their lead. I wanted them to push on and get a third. Well, they did that and more.
Joel Grant saw a specualtive shot from distance go through the keeper two minutes into the second half and from then on it was downhill all the way for Barnet. Ten minutes later, they failed to clear a corner and Grant returned it for Artell to nod in his first goal for the Alex. A further two minutes passed before Donaldson was left unmarked to head home a Westwood free-kick and at 5-0 the game was as good as over. Even hardened Alex fans were confident we'd get the three points. In fact, there was even hushed discussion of how many we might score. We had to wait another twenty minutes for another goal, though. On the 77th minute Westwood curled an effort in from the edge of the area, the keeper got hands to it, but only succeeded in pushing it into the path of Miller who couldn't miss. By this time Crewe fans were giving it the old 'Ole!' every time Crewe strung a few passes together. And Donaldson received a standing ovation when he left the field. Replacement Leitch-Smith didn't have to wait long to make his mark. Some slick one-touch passing with the ball going round several players saw Murphy sending Leitch-Smith clear. He coolly beat the keeper to notch his first and the Alex's seventh. First time they've notched seven goals in a league game since thumping Colchester back in 1993.
So, seven nil, without last season's leading scorer (Calvin Zola, who was injured) and it could have been more. Barnet were abject in the second half and could have easily let in ten. Mind, Crewe were relentless and didn't ever stop trying to score, unlike at home to Darlington last season when we sat on a 3-0 half time lead. It paid off and we leapt nine places up the table. Barnet's woeful performance makes it difficult to judge the quality of that performance, but only the truly curmudgeonly could moan about seeing the Alex score seven times at home. Let's hope this is a springboard for greater things, starting with Ipswich in the secound round of the Carling Cup on Tuesday night.

Down to Earth...

Cheltenham 3 Crewe 2
After the Lord Mayor's show in beating Derby, here comes the horse and cart as the Alex slip to a second league defeat of the season. At least we're consistent - played 2, lost 2. The day had started so well too, with a few relaxed beers at the Lower Lode Inn in Forthampton. Nice place, decent beers and there was a Scooter rally going on. Probably should have stayed there rather than going to the match.
As for the game itself, well. We started brightly, got overwhelmed for the next thirty minutes or so till Dario changed the formation and then it was a fairly even contest, although no Crewe fan could surely have been happy with the sight of leading scorer Calvin Zola playing just in front of the back four..... Patrick Ada put us ahead after 4 minutes with a great volley from a corner, but then Cheltenham were alll over us like a rash. Their midfield set up was pulling our midfield three hither and yon and we struggled to cope with their pace and movement. We conceded what I thought was a soft free-kick, failed to clear it and the 'Nam, were level. After that it was a bit backs to the wall, but we still created chances and had a good shout for a penalty downgraded to a free-kick on the edge of the area.  Just before half-time disaster struck as more half-hearted defending and some questionable refereeing let Cheltenham in with a sight of goal. Rhys Taylor half-smothered the effort but it squirmed away for Nam's Wesley Thomas to hook in his second. 
Early in the second half Zola restored parity, nodding in an Ashley Westwood free kick. And after that it was fairly level pegging. Then the old traits re-emerged, Jeff Goulding found himself with time and space in the penalty area and turned to put the ball in the corner. Crewe threw everything at Chelts in the last ten minutes or so but couldn't find a way through. Zola hit the outside of the post and Miller had another fair shout for a penalty turned down, but equally, the 'Nam could have scored a couple on the counter to put the game beyond us.
So another disappointing Saturday gone and still no points collected. Think the result was made worse by the fact that I'd had a decent morning, was stood in the Carlsberg Stand and couldn't get a drink, and had two of the smelliest, trampiest Crew fans stood in front of me all game. Would have moved if there'd been any spare space. Oh and the fact that the coach SatNav broke down, so I used mine on me phone and that ate my battery. Only had enough charge left to call me Dad before setting off home...
Too early to makes us relegation favourites, I think, but not too early to be worried about facing a long hard slog of a season. Which is what I was expecting.

Life is a rollercoaster..

Crewe 1 Derby 0
And lo, it came to pass that, as woefully underwhelming as they had been on Saturday afternoon, the mighty Crewe Alex did rise up and smite down Derby County in the first round of the Carling Cup on Tuesday night. In what turned out to be a decent game of football, Derby (slightly weakened by injuries and absences) got off to a slow start and it was Crewe making all the running early doors. Miller and Donaldson both wasted good chances but Crewe kept on pressing. Old boy Robbie Savage was pulling all the strings for Derby in the middle of the park, but their back four struggled with the pace of Donaldson and the awkwardness of Zola. Our midfield trio of Bell, Westwood and Murphy matched their Derby counterparts and there were great moments of skill and vision on both sides, as the two teams looked to get the ball down and play attractive passing football. As half-time loomed it looked as if Crewe were to go unrewarded for their industry but an overhead flick into the box by Donaldson found defender Shaun Barker under pressure from Zola and heading the ball into his own net.
Derby bought on another old boy, Rob Hulse, after the break, joining Savage, James Bailey and John Brayford in the Ex-Crewe club. With a bit of added firepower now, Derby started to come forward and throw everything at Crewe. But with Artell and Ada standing firm in the middle of defence, Taylor catching everything in goal and the midfield three dropping back, Derby struggled to penetrate the Crewe defence. Crewe managed to occasionally relieve the pressure with counter-attacks but the last ten minutes was virtually all Derby and only some determined defending and excellent goalkeeping kept Derby at bay. As the final whistle went there was an enormous cheer from the Crewe crowd. And some of us went off to celebrate long and a bit too hard....
On reflection, this game was as uplifting as the Hereford game was disappointing. The defence and goalkeeper looked ten times better than they had at the weekend and the midfield trio proved that football-wise they are a match for anyone. It's a shame that we aren't going to play many sides that like to pass it around like Derby do - the lump-and-thump merchants of League 2 will probably just knock us out of the way. Still worried that the strikers haven't notched a goal yet, but that'll come.
That said, next game is away at Cheltenham Town on Saturday and because we ARE Crewe, we'll probably get thumped 3 or 4 nil....

New Dawn Fades

Crewe 0 Hereford 1
Well, the pre-season optimism lasted a full 16 minutes until Hereford scored and by half-time, after the forwards had conspired to miss plenty of chances, reality had well and truly set in. For all the talk of "preparing for better" the sad truth is that on the pitch little has changed. We still look shaky on set pieces, the midfield seems a bit lightweight and we've got strikers that need more than a dozen chances to convert one. Most disappointing thing for me was that for all the work in defending that apparently went on in pre-season, we got done from a corner. Same old Crewe!
Post-match, manager Dario Gradi said that the team were playing to their potential and that there isn't that much more he can squeeze out of them. Which isn't much comfort and doesn't bode well for the rest of the season.
Ah well, the league isn't won or lost on the first day of the season, or so they say. And that's the straw I'll be clutching at till next week's league game at Cheltenham. Before that though, there's the small matter of Derby in the Carling Cup. Derby have 5 ex-Crewe lads on their books (Savage, Hulse, Varney, Brayford and Bailey) but I'm not expecting all of them to get a run out. Bleedin' hope not - we'll get a stuffing!

Why 'Sick, Sorry and Sober?'

In case you're wondering why the blog title...

SICK  Not because I usually am after an afternoon or evening watching The Alex, but because I'm struggling with some health issues at the moment. Nothing major - Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure. The irony is that the tablets that I'm currently on for treatment of both conditions make me feel worse than either condition previously did.
SORRY  Now this is how I've been feeling after Crewe Alexandra games in more recent years. Especially after away games, when I've shelled out a fair few quid and wasted a day to be rewarded with a limp performance or (worse) the snatching of defeat from the jaws of victory. Admittedly I haven't been to that many away games in recent years for precisely that reason.
SOBER   Because of being SICK and usually SORRY and so that I can post reasonably coherent updates to this blog, I'm going to try to limit my matchday alcohol intake. I'm not going to try to stop altogether - I tried that after the World Cup and failed - but I will be cutting down on the amount I have.

And that's why.

The Phoney War Is Over

Crewe's pre-season campaign concluded this evening with a disappointing 4-0 defeat for the reserves at Kidderminster Harriers. That's spoilt the unbeaten run, but I'm not too down-hearted. The team need a reality check. Besides, in previous summers they've beaten the likes of Hull, Birmingham and West Brom fairly comfortably and then gone on to have dreadful seasons. This summer they've beaten a handful of non-league teams, West Brom reserves and a mixed Blackpool side still struggling to build a team for their Premiership campaign.

Not that I've watched much of the pre-season. I've only been to one game and that was a local derby with Nantwich Town, which the Alex won comfortably. After the false dawns of the previous years (see above) I wasn't going to waste my money setting myself up for another season of disappointment. I'll be going into this one preparing for better but expecting the worst.

And it all kicks off this coming Saturday at home to Hereford United. Despite my reservations, I can't wait!

Hello!

Welcome to my blog, which will revolve around Crewe Alexandra and my life in general. I'll be getting to as many games as possible this season and trying to update this blog as much as possible on matchdays. 
I've been a Crewe fan for a fair few years, although many of those years were spent following the team from afar as I lived in various other parts of the country. Am back in my native Cheshire now and for some strange reason, thought it'd be a good idea to document the upcoming season.
Enjoy.