Pogba on target but Crewe held at the Lamb Stadium.
Mathias Pogba continued his rich vein of from in pre-season with another splendidly taken goal in the sixth minute. Pogba showed all the attributes of a big, powerful target man by controlling a long ball, turning and planting an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. It was comfortably the highlight of our latest pre-season friendly.
Mathias Pogba continued his rich vein of from in pre-season with another splendidly taken goal in the sixth minute. Pogba showed all the attributes of a big, powerful target man by controlling a long ball, turning and planting an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. It was comfortably the highlight of our latest pre-season friendly.
A much better performance from Tamworth in the second half saw the home side strike the post three times and deservedly equalise with six minutes remaining, thanks to an equally wonderful shot from Marcus Kelly.
Steve Davis named a fairly strong side for the trip to Tamworth this afternoon, but as expected youngsters such as Oliver Turton, Andy White and Brendan Daniels were also given a pre-season run out. Midfielder Luke Murphy was back from his knee injury, for only his second appearance of the summer and he partnered Abdul Osman in central midfield.
The defensive pairing saw Mark Ellis and Harry Davis play centrally either side of the younger full-backs and up front Max Clayton operated alongside Mathias Pogba.
A bright start from Crewe at the Lamb Stadium resulted in an early goal for the visitors. Crewe had started really sharply with their passing and movement. After riding a couple of tackles, Brendan Daniels found his opposite winger Michael West but his curler was well held under his crossbar by the Tamworth goalkeeper Tony Breeden.
Crewe's urgeny to the proceedings was rewarded with a finely taken goal from Mathias Pogba after just six minutes. He collected a long pass from White, turned sharply and used his strength to power away from his marker before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner. It was a wonderfully taken goal from the club’s summer signing from Wrexham.
Pogba continued to be a threat with his robust style. He latched onto a clever flick on from Clayton but after cutting back onto his left foot, he just lost his footing and the chance was lost. He was also just nudged off balance by the Tamworth defender Duane Courtney as he threatened to double the Alex’s lead.
Although Crewe enjoyed the majority of the possession, genuine chances on goal were few and far between in the first half and the home side slowly began to get back into the contest and create some chances of their own.
Tamworth’s main threat Jean-Paul Marna had one effort from the edge of the box deflected behind for a corner by the lunging Luke Murphy before he fired another effort into the side netting from an acute angle.
Some more good football from the Lambs then had Peter Till in on the Crewe goal but his drilled his low shot just wide of Alan Martin’s left hand post. The first half ended in a torrential downpour and a couple of efforts from Tommy Wright and the lively Marna but Alan Martin was equal to them on a slippery surface.
The Alex goalkeeper had to be alert in the opening 60 seconds of the second half after Marna had been able to hold off the intentions of substitute George Ray inside the six-yard box. The striker did everything right to execute a turn and get a shot off, but Martin made himself big enough to save with his knee.
The interval had seen Ray and Jon Guthrie replace the centre-backs, Robertson appear for West and Harry replace his brother Max. Goalkeeper Ben Garratt was also given 45 minutes.
Marna had the ball in the net early on but it was instantly ruled out for offside, but credit to Tamworth who certainly took the game to the Alex second half. There were a number of efforts from long range to try and test Garratt and Tommy Wright was rather unfortunate not to direct a header goalwards after reaching a cross first.
Crewe for all their effort were not creating too many chances of any note. Daniels lashed one over after being put in on the overlap by Harry Clayton.
Tamworth thought they had equalised when Adam Cunnington tapped home into an empty net after a superb drive from Scott Barrow had rebounded off the foot of the Crewe post. The assistant referee was once again spot on and rightly called if offside.
Moments later, the Lambs were unlucky again to strike the woodwork from a well struck free-kick. Cunnington couldn’t believe it when his low shot hit the post, the diving Ben Garratt and the post again before being smuggled away. It was one almighty let off.
There was a scare when Abdul Osman was taken off on 75 minutes after a tasty tackle. He was replaced for Paris Bateman.
Tamworth kept pressing looking for an equaliser and once again hit the post after Tommy Wright escaped the clutches of Guthrie and Ray as they all jumped for a high cross. The ball dropped invitingly at the feet of Wright but Garratt did well to rush from his line and get a touch on it to divert it onto the post for a third time.
I fairness, Tamworth desrved to level things up on 84 minutes. They had certainly stepped things up second half but it took wnderful strike from midfielder Marcus Kelly to finally beat Ben Garratt in the Crewe goal. Kelly arrowed his shot from 20 yards into the top corner.
Tamworth had a late opportunity to win the game but Scott Barrow shot just wide of the far post.