Crewe Alexandra's Under-18's progressed to the Second Round of the FA Youth Cup after a quite incredible game against Oldham at Boundary Park.
After losing an early goal the Alex scored twice in two minutes to lead 2-1, conceded twice in two minutes to trail 3-2, then equalised on the stroke of half-time before controlling the second half thanks to a clever tactical switch by Steve Holland and a more controlled overall display.
The game also saw Oldham's Lewis Alessandra score a first half hat-trick, defender Stephen Cooney earn a late red card, Crewe's Amari Morgan-Smith score a goal and make one before going off injured, and his replacement AJ Leitch-Smith score twice (or once if his second goal received a touch from winger Junior Brown), as well as further goals for the hugely impressive Luke Murphy and Nick Farquharson.
All in all it was a breathtaking match, packed with incident and intrigue, but it will be Crewe who will face either Morecambe or North Ferriby United in Round Two at Gresty Road next time out.
Steve Holland was forced to make changes from his Under-18 side which lost 2-1 at home to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, due to the ineligibility of three of his regulars.
Goalkeeper Craig Ellison, midfielder Gareth Evans and top scorer Byron Moore are all too old to take part in this competition, which meant Jack Baker took over in goal whilst Junior Brown and Amari Morgan-Smith stepped up from the bench.
With both sides flying high in their respective league tables, it looked set to be a frantic opening to gain superiority, and it was Oldham who worried the Alex defence first, as they came within a whisker of opening the scoring inside the first ten minutes.
A superb ball by winger Ross Thacker caused the problem, as the Latics wide man whipped a beautiful ball in behind the Alex defence, but Kallum Higginbotham's diving header, which seemed to have beaten keeper Jack Baker, clipped the outside of the upright.
Baker was fantastic minutes later however, making a wonderful save when it seemed certain that the Latics would take the lead. Once again a ball into the box from the flanks caused trouble, this time from the left. Full back Paul Black, helping out his winger Lewis Alessandra, hooked a cross into the area and Deane Smalley's looping header seemed to have beaten the new first year scholar in the Alex goal. But Baker, playing his first Under-18 game of the season, somehow managed to back pedal and scoop the ball from behind him with his left hand to keep the scores deadlocked.
He could do nothing to stop the hosts from taking a 15th minute lead however, as the Alex defence was cut open. Alessandro, ran in behind the Crewe centre backs to latch onto Thacker's pass and drill a shot past Baker to put the hosts in front.
But the goal suddenly shocked the Alex into life, and they were level within a minute. Farquharson's flick gave Morgan-Smith the chance to shoot, and although his first shot was blocked by Oldham keeper Ryan Smith the Alex made best use of the rebound. Brown latched onto the loose ball and darted to the by-line, before pulling a centre into the area from which Morgan-Smith made no mistake, slotting his shot under Smith to level things up.
After trailing on 15 minutes, Crewe were in front after 20 minutes as more fantastic work by Morgan-Smith saw the Alex take the lead. The young striker this time turned provider, with a splendid mazy run on the right, before finding Murphy in the area to add a confident finish and make it 2-1 and turn the tie on it's head.
As the heavens opened to make playing conditions difficult, the Alex continued to up their game and take the play to the hosts. Morgan-Smith was only denied a second goal when keeper Smith somehow managed to turn his header over the cross bar after he met Ashley Westwood's corner kick with a firm downward header, and only the referee's whistle stopped Holland's side extending their lead further when Brown's far post header was disallowed for a push.
But Crewe were dealt a blow on the half hour mark when they lost the services of goalscorer and Oldham's chief tormentor Morgan-Smith through injury.
Crewe still looked threatening going forward, as AJ Leitch-Smith partnered the lively Farquharson, but a breakaway goal ensured that the Latics pulled level.
The Alex could feel harshly treated after Chris Clements appeared to be fouled in the build-up after a corner was cleared to the edge of the box, but Oldham moved the ball quickly and were clinical as Alessandra raced clear and fired home his second.
Things were suddenly swinging back into the home sides favour, and again the game changed within minutes as the dangerous Alessandra completed his hat-trick. Smalley and Higginbotham combined in the build up on the left, but once again the finish was all about Alessandra, who volleyed in past Baker when the ball arrived in the box, once again leaving the Alex keeper with no chance.
But again this incredible first half changed in a heart beat just before half-time, with Russell Courtney's long punt out of defence. The physical presence of Farquharson had looked a potential threat all match, only to be foiled by the referee''s whistle, but when his strength was too much for Marcus Holness on 44 minutes as they chased Courtney's clearance, he was left with a free run on goal. Oldham keeper Smith looked to close the angle, but the Coventry born forward kept his cool superbly, lobbing the home stopper before wheeling away in celebration after ensuring the Alex reached the interval on level terms.
The rain ceased as the second half kicked off, but it wasn't long before it began raining goals again. Within five minutes of kicking off Crewe had retaken the lead with what can only be described as a wonder strike from substitute Leitch-Smith. Credit must go to Clements, who delivered a superb deep cross to the far post, but the finish by Leitch-Smith was sublime, as he allowed the ball to drop over the last defender before thumping a volley into the top the corner.
At the other end Baker made a couple of comfortable saves as Oldham looked for another quick route onto level terms, but it was Oldham keeper Smith who really had to be sharp on 65 minutes. Some fine work by Farquharson on the edge of the box held play up, and his lay off found Clements. With the Oldham defence expecting a cross, Clements instead sized up a shot, and his curling right foot effort was only kept out by a full stretch save from the Latics custodian.
Two minutes later Crewe were close again as, this time, Smith's defence helped him out. Leitch-Smith was the provider, playing a measured pass behind the Oldham defence to Brown, but after rounding Smith the Crewe midfielder was denied as Holness slid in to clear from the goal line.
From the resulting corner Smith was called upon to block again on his line, as Farquharson met Westwood's ball with a firm header, and Crewe suddenly appeared to have finally got to grips with the game.
Leitch-Smith was now looking as dangerous as the man he replaced, Morgan-Smith, had been in the first period. The Crewe born forward brought another fine block out of Smith after 70 minutes as he collected James Bailey's pass and darted inside the back four. To Smith's credit he was quickly off his line, and as Leitch-Smith turned to shoot, the Oldham keeper was right their to spread himself and save.
The most notable point of the second half was perhaps the reduced influence of hat-trick man Alessandra. Credit must be handed to Steve Holland, who changed the system to play Luke Danville as a man marker, and praise too to young Danville himself, who did a sterling job. The only time Alessandra evaded the Alex defender, he seemed to be yards offside, but even though the linesman's flag stayed down, Courtney was back quickly to mop up, cutting out Alessandra's centre as Higginbotham lurked dangerously in the area.
It proved a critical moment for Crewe, as they quickly went up the other end to make it 5-3. There will be some debate on the goalscorer, with Brown's somersault celebrations suggesting he got a touch, but it appeared from initial glance that the goal was Leitch-Smith's as he caused havoc on the byline before cutting backing inside and curling a left footed shot into the bottom corner. Brown was certainly close enough to the ball to have got a touch, but whoever scored it didn't really matter, a two-goal cushion had at last been built, and Leitch-Smith had certainly made his impact after the unfortunate early loss of Morgan-Smith.
Brown was close to netting again, as the two players combined once more with five minutes to go, but was again denied by Smith. Leitch-Smith's lobbed ball put Brown, who had cut in from the left, in the clear, but as he hit his shot low to the keepers right, Smith made an excellent reactionary stop to keep his side in with a shout.
Oldham's Stephen Cooney increased the host's woes by talking himself into the referee's notebook and then seeing red for constant complaining before the end.
He didn't do his side any favours but in truth, with Alessandra now under Danville's control, there was no way back for the hosts, and despite the trials and tribulations of an amazing evening, Crewe were through to face non-league opposition in round two.
Oldham: Ryan Smith, Aaron Walsh, Paul Black, Shaun Beeley, Marcus Holness, Stephen Cooney, Ross Thacker, Ashley Kelly, Deane Smalley, Kallum Higginbotham, Lewis Alessandra
Subs: Danny Knight, Josh Bell, Jack Fitzgerald, Rory Winters, Adam Edwards
Crewe: Jack Baker; Ashley Westwood, Russell Courtney, Thomas Lappin, Luke Danville; Chris Clements, Luke Murphy, James Bailey, Junior Brown; Amari Morgan-Smith, Nick Farquharson
Subs: Nathan Bancroft, Marcus Cooper (Gk), AJ Leitch-Smith, Dexter Ravenhill, Ben McHugh
