Scunthorpe United v Crewe Alexandra

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Football League One

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Byrne, Iriekpen, Mirfin, Williams, Sparrow, Togwell (Wright 89), Morris (Forte 85), Woolford, Hayes (May 84), Hooper
Subs not used:
Lillis, Crosby

Crewe Alexandra :
Collis, Brayford, O'Donnell, Woodards, Jones, Carrington (Bopp 72), Bailey, Schumacher, Miller (Grant 89), Zola (Donaldson 72), Pope
Subs not used:
Elding, Abbey

OPPOSITION VIEW

FROM THE OFFICIAL CREWE ALEXANDRA WEBSITE

CREWE Alexandra gave a pretty decent account of themselves at Glanford Park this afternoon but still we couldn't find that cutting edge to really put Scunthorpe under enough pressure to challenge their unbeaten run, which with this 3-0 win moves onto double figures.

In a fairly even first half, it took the home side until the 36th minute to open the scoring, with winger Martyn Woolford helping himself to a simple tap-in from within inside our six-yard box.

The Alex were very much in the game and so nearly went in at the interval on level terms thanks to a fine header from Tom Pope. A super tip over the bar from the agile Joe Murphy kept his side ahead.

In an entertaining game, the next goal was always going to be crucial and after a period of intense pressure, Paul Hayes finally added a decisive goal on 66 minutes. In fairness that goal had been coming because both Gary Hooper and Woolford hit the woodwork.

The home side wrapped up the three points with ten minutes remaining when Izzy Iriekpen headed home a Woolford corner.

In the absence of Dennis Lawrence and Michael O'Connor, both away on International duty with their respective countries, Crewe Alexandra's first team coach Steve Holland was forced into changes in his back four and in central midfield. As expected John Brayford was given the nod at right-back ahead of George Abbey and the versatile Danny Woodards moved in the centre of defence. Brayford, who has been an unused substitute in recent weeks, was handed his Football League debut following his deadline day switch from Burton Albion.

James Bailey was recalled after overcoming his bout of concussion suffered in that aerial collision against Northampton last weekend. With O'Connor away with the Northern Ireland national side, left-back Billy Jones captained the side for the first time in his Crewe career.

Scunthorpe United's Paul Hayes had the first sight at goal after four minutes, but slightly off balance he could only fire high and wide from the edge of the Crewe penalty area. He was certainly closer three minutes later when a well worked free-kick from Ian Morris allowed Cliff Byrne to cross to the far post, where Hayes was denied superbly by Steve Collis. Crewe managed to complete the clearance at the expense of a throw-in by the corner flag.

Crewe's sparkled into life after 11 minutes with Shaun Miller shooting just wide of Joe Murphy's left hand post after some superb build up play involving Bailey and Carrington. Miller confidently took Carrington's pass in his stride and shot early enough to try and catch out Murphy. Moments later, Calvin Zola did fantastically well to bring a long ball under his spell but his cross into the six-yard just lacked the accuracy to pick out Pope.

It was fairly end-to-end stuff and Scunthorpe's winger Matt Sparrow forced Collis into another smart save after he cut in ahead of Billy Jones. The Alex keeper did well again to get down and turn it around his post for the first corner of the afternoon after 16 minutes.

Just two minutes later, the home side went close to taking the lead after a ricochet flat-footed the Alex defence, allowing Gary Hooper to race into the box. Again Collis did well, rushing from his goal and narrowing his angle, so that Hooper could only go wide around the Alex keeper and strike the wrong side of the netting.

Following Crewe's first corner, won after a shot from midfielder Mark Carrington was deflected over the bar, Zola was denied at close range by the bravery of Murphy. After beating the offside trap, the towering Alex striker tried to guide it past the Scunthorpe United keeper, but the Scunthorpe keeper stood up well to divert it behind for another corner.

In a continuing attacking trend, Sparrow and then Sam Togwell tested Collis with snap shots that were dealt comfortably with. Steven Schumacher became the first player to be cautioned for a late tackle on Togwell after 26 minutes. It wasn't that type of game and the referee overreacted a little with the first loose tackle going in, in what had been a highly competitive encounter.

Crewe had been defending resolutely but the breakthrough finally arrived after 36 minutes and it was the home side, who grabbed the advantage. After a period of head tennis in the centre of the pitch, Hayes caused mayhem close to the by-line and after Woodards didn't cut out his low cross, Martyn Woolford had the simplest of tasks to tap home from inside the six-yard box. After doing so well, it was a rather cheap goal to concede.

Four minutes before the half-time break, Carrington, who had enjoyed a fine first half, so nearly gifted Hayes with a goal after his back pass didn't have enough legs. Hayes' curling shot was blocked by the stretching head of Woodards and Jones completed the clearance up field.

Two minutes later, Crewe conjured up our best chance of the half. Schumacher delivered an excellent free kick into a crowded penalty area, and Pope was so unfortunate to see Murphy tip his header over the bar for a corner. It was a superb save from the Irishman because Pope must have thought he had scored after applying such a true connection.

There was still enough time to see Woolford drill a shot into the mid-drift of Collis after the Railwaymen had surrendered possession too cheaply in the centre of the pitch.

Scunthorpe had an early chance to kill the game off with Hooper curling a good chance wide in the opening couple of minutes of the second half. Crewe were on the front foot themselves early on with Bailey forcing Murphy into a decent save following the midfielder's low drive from 30 yards out. From the resulting corner a header from debutant Brayford was clawed out of the air by the home side's keeper. Minutes later a fine cross from Brayford nearly saw Zola get on the end of things.

At the other end, in what was such an entertaining, flowing match, Hayes nearly caught out Collis with an ambitious overhead kick after Morris had found him inside the box. If his effort had been on target, Collis would have struggled to get there.

Just after the hour mark, Woolford lifted the home crowd with a probing run into the Alex half. The winger tricked his way by the grounded Billy Jones before unleashing a 30 yard drive that just cleared the cross bar. A minute later, Crewe and Danny Woodards had one almighty let off when Hooper got the wrong side of the Alex defence but his shot thumped the post.

If they were close with that chance, they were unluckier on 63 minutes when following a flowing passage of play in-and-around the Crewe penalty area, Woolford struck the underside of the bar and it bounced away to safety. The Alex had escaped again but it was evident that the home side had increased the tempo of their play.

It was therefore no surprise that Scunthorpe doubled their lead on 66 minutes. Crewe again gave the ball away needlessly and after Hooper had intelligently pulled the back to his strike partner Paul Hayes, it was all so simple. Hayes guided it past Collis to give us one hell of a mountain to climb at Glanford Park.

Holland decided to make some instant changes with Donaldson and Bopp coming on for Zola and Carrington.

With ten minutes remaining, the home side ended any lingering doubts with a stunning third goal via a corner. Woolford's accurate cross to the far post was superbly met by his captain Izzy Iriekpen to give Collis no chance.

In reply, Donaldson was rather unlucky not to register his first goal for the club after he had gallantly chased down a stray back pass. The Alex striker managed to block Joe Murphy's clearance with his knee but his deflected went past the empty goal.

With time running out, Scunthorpe introduced the former Millwall striker Ben May and Jon Forte for the hard working Hayes and Morris.

The substitutes so nearly made it 4-0 with May finding Forte in far too much space but as he raced towards our goal, Brayford did well to recover and divert it behind for a corner. At least Brayford will remember his first appearance at Glanford Park.

Joel Grant was given a late run for Miller and it will be interesting to see his late cross again on the DVD because it was certainly blocked by the hand of Mirfin, who had been seconds earlier booked for a pull back on the winger.