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.
Thursday 26 August 2010
Sunday 22 August 2010
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.
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.
Monday 16 August 2010
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.
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.
Thursday 12 August 2010
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....
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....
Sunday 8 August 2010
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!
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!
Friday 6 August 2010
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.
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.
Monday 2 August 2010
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!
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.
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.
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