Well, a day’s travel relying on the trains and gratefully all five trains and connections for the round trip worked so well; maybe that train travel monkey that has been sitting on my back for a couple of seasons finally given up on me.
I say it time and again, I really love away games and a great part of that is the social side of the day both in terms of travelling with fellow football supporters and seeking out good real ale haunts for a couple of beers before the game. After yesterday, a few friends will have an addition or two for the beer hunter section of this blog: all suggestions are as ever welcome in the hunt for a quality pint in interesting surroundings. Onto the main event of the day, the game itself with our team backed by almost 1000 travelling supporters. All change at Crewe; well 5 anyway from the team that started at Accrington last week. Our talisman Danny Hylton had recovered from the battle of Southsea and was included up front along with Jack Marriott in the starting line-up; McQuoid dropping from the squad and Vassell taking a place on the bench. Pelly took over the holding role in midfield with Lee on the bench and Glen Rea unavailable through suspension. Jordan Cook came into midfield with Smith on the bench and Lawson D’Ath included in the side for his first start since joining from Northampton. The first impression most of us had on seeing the line up was as ever the attacking and defending parts looked fine but Cook, Gray and D’Ath, would we be again a touch lightweight in midfield for a L2 side? Luton started the game well having plenty of possession and pushing forward and certainly looked the more likely of the two sides until Crewe woke up part way through that first half and weighed in with a couple of chances themselves including an opportunity for Crewe’s Kirk who really should have at least made Walton save from a very good position. Marriott had a great shot from the edge of the area which was on target and tipped away by the diving Crewe keeper Garratt; good effort from Jack. It was developing into a fairly open game with both sides having attempts at goal including a really powerful header from Crewe that went over our crossbar; really glad that one was not on target. Then, unfortunately, we have a collective Hatters silly moment. Gray in midfield lost out in a challenge for the ball and his midfield colleagues not providing cover with Pelly upfield, having tried to start an attack. Our defence was dragged over to our left and space created for in the middle for veteran striker Ryan Lowe who has evaded Justin and Cuthbert to power a shot into the net past Walton. Our midfield apart from the outstanding Pelly were looking a little confused as to their individual and collective roles by this time. D’Ath had shown some nice touches and was willing to chase the ball but he looked fairly rusty and really both he and Cook just seemed to be getting in each other's way. That mid-way period in the first half was a bit untidy in midfield and it just looked a touch confused to me. However, we kept going and just before half time Jack Marriott cut into the penalty area on the left-hand side and managed a shot from a fairly tight angle that beat the Crewe keeper; great joy, back on equal terms and although both sides had had chances during that half, I felt being level at half-time was a fair reflection; not that I am biased. In the second half, although we were still looking fairly decent, Crewe started pressing and were fully aware that Sheehan was already on a collection of a yellow and a firm lecture from the referee. Sadly the experienced Sheehan should have known better than to lunge into a tackle and from that moment he knew he was off even before the referee produced his yellow/red combination. My immediate thought apart from sod it, was would we be able to defend in deeply and hold out for a point with 35 minutes still to play. Nathan immediately responded to Sheehan’s removal from the game by making a double substitution in taking off the ineffective Cook and the fading D’Ath to replace them with Jack Senior to cover the left of the defence and Smith to cover the whole field in his hunter gather role. Immediately after those substitutions, we looked a much more complete competitive unit. Smith was immediately into the game chasing, closing down space and Senior, fast and capable, immediately started getting in some clean well-timed tackles, an area that Sheehan had struggled in earlier. Pelly was having a great game, breaking up play, creating space and powerfully breaking to draw the Crewe team back up towards their own goal-line. Yes, we were down to 10 men but the team work and fighting spirit particularly after those substitutions was admirable: we simply looked a team that was determined and up for it as they say but with 10 men against 11. Then on around the 70-minute mark, the 10 men took the lead in a move started by Marriott running in from the left and taking a shot that the keeper parried out. The oh so excellent Hylton collected the ball in the area got the better of his marker and squared the ball across the goal for Cameron, whoops, I mean Gray, to place the ball into the back of the net. Great stuff and not at all what we were expecting after going down to 10 men. Indeed later in the game we almost had a third goal with an effort from Marriott that the keeper saved; I would have backed Jack to put that one away. Yes, we had a lot of defending to do as the game moved into its later stages but despite the pressure we held out well. Walton who has been a touch more reluctant to come out to catch the ball in recent games, really came out to attack the ball as it was knocked into the area on several occasions. On the left Jack Senior making his football league debut was making some superbly well timed challenges; this guy looks a fine prospect to me. Eventually, despite the continual probing of the excellent George Cooper, our committed team held out to take all three points. Overall Impression: Fairly reasonable up to the sending off then after Nathan’s substitutions we turned into a real team that supported each other and fought for ever ball. That final half hour of the game was a real pleasure to watch just simply to see our team giving it their all. All credit to Nathan for keeping two up front and stretching the game in a way that made us continually dangerous on the break-away. Right through this season we have had a real weakness in holding midfield, an area so key to Nathan’s preferred formation. Glen Rea has done the job decently from a destroyer point of view but he is a bit light on creativity. Yesterday, for the second consecutive match, Pelly took on that role and looked outstanding challenging for the ball, creating space and breaking with the ball. Has Nathan found the answer to that crucial role within his own squad with Pelly? Well, he has his chance now, let’s hope he keeps this level of concentration and commitment going. A lovely victory and well deserved victory, not one that I was expecting at time after the sending off. Onwards to Wycombe next week to face the Archbishop of Wycombe and his seven players plus tea lady. Some impressions of individual performances: Walton: played really well particularly during that last 20 minutes of the game when Crewe really went in search of an equaliser. He confidently left his line to punch the ball clear on many occasions. Justin: apart from not getting close enough to Lowe for Crewe’s goal ( a collective responsibility in that move shared by about five of our players) he played very well. He plays like a really seasoned player, a fine athlete and beautifully composed on the ball. Cuthbert: easy to overlook his very solid game as these days it’s become expected; he did very well. One day he is going to relax a touch when attacking in the opposition's penalty area and actually score a goal or two. Mullins: had a very good game and made some well timed clearances in that last period of the game. Sheehan: looked decent coming forward with the ball but vulnerable in defence with his timing in need of recalibration. Are his left back days behind him? Pelly: had a super game and really seemed to know what was expected of him. His tackling, covering and distribution were really good and he continually created space and was willing to have surges up-field to pin the opposition back. D’Ath: some nice touches early on and willing to chase players down. Not surprisingly, he did seem to tire early having had very little competitive game time this season. Cook: never did anything really bad, never did anything really good: still waiting to see the Cook emerge that was a success at Walsall. At the moment the guy just does not look confident in his own ability; hope he picks up but maybe some appearances from the bench may be the answer rather than in the starting 11. Gray: looks like he could be coming back to his earlier season form and has the Cameron knack to be in the right place at the right time to score. Marriott: took his goal well and overall had a good game combining very well with Hylton. Hylton: great performance exemplified in the way he crafted that winning goal for Gray to put away. The game changers: Smith: you get what it says on the tin: great squad player who chased everything and closed players down. Senior: I have seen Senior play a few time before and been really impressed with both his defending and wing back play. Yesterday it was about defending and he did really well with some well-timed tackles. Does Nathan have the two real full backs he needs now for his formation in Justin and Senior? Vassell: took over from Mariott with the instruction to chase and keep the Crewe defenders occupied. The Teams: Crewe: Garratt, Turton, Guthrie, Ray, Bakayogo (Saunders 76), Kiwomya, Jones, Hollands (Wintle 85), Cooper, Kirk (Dagnall 65), Lowe. Subs: Richards (GK), Nugent, Udoh, Ainley Yellows: Hollands, Turton Luton: Walton, Justin, Cuthbert ©, Mullins, Sheehan, Mpanzu, Gray, D’Ath (Senior 56), Cook (Smith 56), Hylton, Marriott (Vassell 86). Subs not used: O’Donnell, CMS, Lee, King (GK) Yellows: Cook, Sheehan Reds: Sheehan Referee: Graham Salisbury: no complaints from me.
1 Comment
Spence
1/15/2017 03:53:22 am
Great report as ever, couldn't make the game due to family commitments, but really pleased to hear that Pelly is starting to find form, or is it that Nathan has found the right position for him. Also I like the thinking of Justin and Senior as the solution to the wingbacks problem.
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December 2017
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