Rovers out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy after penalty shoot-out loss against Crewe Alexandra
Tuesday, 4th December 2012 at the Alexandra Stadium, Gresty Road, Crewe
Johnstone’s Paint Trophy North Section Quarter Final
Crewe Alexandra 1 Doncaster Rovers 1 (Crewe win 5-3 on penalties)
Referee – Mr Trevor Kettle
Attendance – 1892 (157 visitors)
It was freezing cold at Crewe despite the early kick off of 7.30pm. The Rovers had been decimated by a virus throughout the club over the past few days. Tommy Spurr, Rob Jones, Michael Woods and Jamie McCombe had not sufficiently recovered, David Syers, Martin Woods, Billy Paynter, James Harper and Kyle Bennett were out with injuries and Paul Keegan was suspended having reached five bookings on Saturday. So the stage was set for the introduction of the youngsters, Liam Wakefield, Joshua Meade and Harry Middleton for their first 1st team start. Evan Finnegan, Jordan Ball and Jon Maxted were all on the bench. Cotterill and Griffin came in to make five changes in all. James Husband was named as captain.
The Rovers kicked off and won a free kick on the left side of the Crewe penalty area, which Cotterill put just past the far post. Minutes later a free kick on the Rovers right was placed into the Alex area where Blake headed wide. In the 11th minute, Cotterill had a go from the right touchline halfway in the Alex’ half but it went past the far post. Shortly afterwards the Rovers won the first corner of the game but nothing came from it. The Rovers had had the most of the first fifteen minutes or so but in the 17th minute a misplaced pass by Husband gave Aneke a shot from 20yards that was just past the post. General midfield play followed over the next ten minutes and then, in the 27th minute, the Rovers won a corner. Cotterill gave it to Blake but his attempt to shoot was blocked for another corner. Past the half hour and Blake took a free kick from a central position about 25yards out. A terrific shot took a slight deflection, hit the post and came back into play. Blake then followed this by passing inside to Cotterill but his shot was saved. In the 35th minute, Crewe got more into the game with Pogba having a shot saved by Woods and two minutes later he had another go that Woods palmed out to Inman, who headed back goalwards but Woods pushed it on to the bar and Martis scrambled it out for a corner to the home team. Minutes later a misunderstanding in the Rovers defence allowed Crewe to win successive corners. Into added time and the last ten minutes had been all Crewe. A good pass to the Crewe left let Inman cut in but Woods saved the shot with his legs. Then, in the second minute of added time, another good move down the Crewe left provided POGBA with a clear chance to fire into the net. The half time whistle went as soon as the game re-started.
Half Time – Crewe Alexandra 1 Doncaster Rovers 0
The rovers set off well in the second half and four minutes in Husband got down the Rovers left and hit a low cross to the middle where Brown slid in to put the ball in the net but Phillips got in the way and the ball was cleared. In the 55th minute, Crewe won a corner, which Martis headed away but straight to Dugdale, who shot over from distance. Past the hour and Brown was played in on goal. The assistant referee flagged for offside but Brown had touched the ball past the keeper into the net and collided with Phillips resulting in both receiving attention from the physios. In the 68th minute, a long ball out of defence from Wakefield into the Crewe penalty area, was headed wide by Brown. Then Crewe had a period of dominance in the next eight minutes in which they won a corner, then Aneke had a shot from the left which Woods saved at the foot of the near post and Clayton had a go from 30yards that was so wide it nearly hit the corner flag. The Rovers weathered this but were soon under the cosh again and in the 82nd minute, a cross from Inman on the Crewe left, was headed against the far post by Pogba from about 8yards out. Then, in the 90th minute, Tootle was booked for the second time and consequently dismissed from the field. Blake was played in on the left and drilled a shot for goal but Phillips got his body in the way and the ball was cleared. Two minutes into added time and Finnegan, on the Rovers left, crossed low into the far post where BROWN slotted into the net. The final whistle went on a one-all draw so that penalties would now decide the result.
Result – Crewe Alexandra 1 (Pogba 45+2) Doncaster Rovers 1 (Brown 90+2)
Penalties – Crewe first
Dalla Valle scored Brown scored
Davis scored Hume scored
Moore scored Blake hit bar
Osman scored Quinn scored
Robertson scored
Crewe Alexandra won 5-3 on penalties
Teams – Crewe Alexandra – Steve Phillips; Matt Tootle, Adam Dugdale, Gregor Robertson, Harry Davis ©; Abdul Osman, Max Clayton, Chuks Aneke, Bradden Inman; Mathias Pogba, Lauri Dalla Valle
Subs used – Oliver Turton for Aneke 76 mins; Ryan Colclough for Clayton 81 mins; Byron Moore for Inman 88 mins;
Subs not used - Mark Ellis, Alan Martin gk
Cautions – Robertson 31 mins; Tootle 51 mins;
ROVERS – Gary Woods; Andy Griffin, Liam Wakefield, Shelton Martis, James Husband ©; David Cotterill, Sammy Clingan, Josh Meade, Harry Middleton; Robbie Blake, Chris Brown
Subs used – Evan Finnegan for Husband 54 mins; Iain Hume for Cotterill 54 mins; Paul Quinn for Griffin 65 mins;
Subs not used - Jordan Ball, Jon Maxted gk
Cautions – Blake 53 mins;