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.
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