Crewe Alexandra 1-2 Coventry City
City: O'Brien. Grimmer, Hyam, McDonald, Haynes, Vincenti (Ponticelli 88), Doyle, Bayliss,(Kelly 46),Shipley (Reid 77), McNulty, Clarke-Harris. Subs: Bilson, Stokes, Barrett, Biamou,
Crewe:Barrett, NG, Bakayoko (Ainley 20), Sterry, Ray, Bowery (Dagnal 80), Nolan, Pickering, Kirk, Green, Miller (McKirdy 72), Subs: Richards, Raynes. Lowery, Barlase,
Att 4,666
Goals Jonson Clarke-Harris 4, Bowery 32. Tom Bayliss 42
Coventry City scored twice in the first half and it was enough to give the Sky Blues a 2-1 win at Crewe
And so it is down, according to Mark Robins to a ten game season. The first of this final block of games was a trip to Crewe Alexandra.
As usual, for one of our more local trips, the City support was out in force on a bitterly cold afternoon with snow in the air.
Lee Burge was ill so Liam O'Brien went in goal with Tom Bilson going on the bench for City who played a 4-4-2 formation against a team which included former City loanee James Sterry and former striker Shaun Miller with another former loanee Chris Dagnall on the bench.
There was some pretty heavy snow showers going as we made our way into a ground to see City in their Sky blue kit having to defend as Sterry fired not far wide of O'Brien"s post to our right in the opening seconds
Doyle and Grimmer had shots blocked and in the fourth minute, the ball was played out to Jonson Clarke-Harris on the left. He beat a defender and then thumped a lovely shot into the net to delight the 1600+ travelling support, who looked to out number the home fans, who duly celebrated with a couple of flares ending up on the pitch, which was where one City supporter ended up and was duly arrested.
With the sun now out. Bayliss drove at Barrett and the home side sent a ball across the area.
Crewe lost Bakayoko to an injury which delayed play and when it resumed, Marc McNulty had a chance but could do nothing with it.
Bayliss in the centre of midfield was a handful and won City a 24th minute free kick that led to a corner.
Crewe had a corner two minutes later and attacked again thanks to the assistant in front of the City support not being up with play and O'Brien made a cracking save to push a header away for the first of two corners.
In the 32nd minute,.a mistake by Haynes let in a cross which saw O'Brien having to save and when the ball came loose, Jordan Bowery headed into the empty net.
Clarke-Harris won a corner and Crewe had Ray booked but in the 42nd minute, Tom Bayliss ran through and hit lovely short into the net.
Clarke-Harris fired wide following a corner and another followed as did the home side wasting a free kick.
Liam Kelly came on for Bayliss at the start of a second half that saw Clarke-Harris get in a shot on the turn and McNulty sent a Grimmer cross over the bar.
City had a 56th minute corner which led to another before O'Brien saved at the other end., one handedly.
As the snow came down, McNulty found Liam Kelly who drove wide,
A sublime piece of skill from Vincenti found out McNulty who won a corner which came to nothing.
Clarke-Harris fired at Barrett and McNulty had a shot saved going into the last twenty minutes of the game.
McNulty was fouled with fifteen minutes left and Shipley's kick was cleared.
That was the last of Shipley who was replaced by Kyel Reid with former City loanee Chris Dagnall coming on for the home side who were getting the better of the decisions from the match officials, much to the annoyance of Michael Doyle who had a storming game in midfield for City..
Jordan Ponticelli came on in the 88th minute for City who should have done better when Kelly whipped in in a cross from the right.
McNulty fired at Barrett and Reid drove wide before the City players and supporters celebrated a well earned win.