Crewe Alexandra have only won once away from home this season and that statistic is going to have to dramatically improve in the second half of the season if we are ever going to mount a serious charge for a place in the top half of the table let alone a play off spot.
Our latest away trip saw us lose 3-0 at a chilly Victoria Park here in Hartlepool and it was frustrating that the goals were rather cheaply given away. The first on 66 minutes came from such a simple set play routine. Robbie Elliott was alert enough to take a quick short corner and Michael Nelson eventually headed his deep cross home at the far post after Crewe had tried to organise themselves. Hartlepool's substitute Richard Barker then made the game entirely save in the closing minutes with a quick-fire brace. His first was a composed finish and his second came from the penalty spot after Michael O'Connor had tripped Ian Moore.
Crewe have now also failed to score in the last three matches and our best chances this afternoon fell to the recalled Shaun Miller. One he should have done better with after some encouraging wing play from the sprightly Elliott Bennett. The other he created himself but his curling shot just drifted away at the crucial moment.
First team coach Steve Holland made a number of changes to his starting line-up with injury and illness playing its part as we enter the hectic festive period. With Chris McCready ruled out with a heavy cold, Holland was as expected forced into a defensive reshuffle with Danny Woodards moving into a central role. Thankfully, Gary Roberts shook off his own bout of untimely illness to declare himself available for the trip North.
Roberts's ability to play in various positions allowed Holland to use him as a right full-back in the absence of the injured Manchester United youngster David Gray, who has returned to Carrington for treatment on his ankle injury.
Alterations also occurred in midfield and upfront with Michael O'Connor recalled to the starting line-up since his 45 minute outing at Bournemouth and Ben Rix was back in the frame. Mark Carrington dropped down to the substitutes bench after his appearance against Walsall last weekend. Shaun Miller was also granted a start alongside Nicky Maynard as the on loan Simon Church dropped to the bench.
Colin 'Junior' Daniel was rewarded for his recent progress in training with his first involvement with the match day sixteen. Mat Bailey and Byron Moore were also named on the bench after missing out last weekend.
In freezing conditions, Hartlepool were soon testing the inexperience of Gary Roberts as a right back with some deep crosses into the Alex penalty area. Roberts didn't take any chances and headed them both decisively out of play to concede two early corners, from which Crewe defended resolutely. A third cross from Eddie Nolan just missed Ben Williams's far post but the Alex keeper had anticipated the danger well and was right to let it trail away.
The first real attempt on goal came in the 11th minute but again Williams had Gary Liddle's long range shot covered as it cleared his left hand post. Barely a minute later, Neil Cox got his head onto a Billy Jones free kick, but the Alex captain had been adjudged to have strayed just offside. Both Cox and Ben Rix were rather unlucky not to thread the pacy Nicky Maynard through the middle. Their clever little passes were intercepted well by Hartlepool's authoritative centre-back Godwin Antwi.
On 16 minutes a promising run from James Brown saw his eventual shot deflect off his own player Ritchie Humphries and glided gratefully into the arms of Ben Williams. It was certainly the home side looking the more dangerous in the opening passage of play. Brown also clipped one over the top of the Alex cross bar from a good position as they went in search of breaking the deadlock. Minutes later, it was a similar type of effort from Ian Moore from the edge of the Crewe penalty area.
Crewe were inviting pressure onto ourselves because we were trying to catch the home side out on the counter attack by utilising the pace of Maynard, Miller and Elliott Bennett. On one occasion a promising break saw Shaun Miller apply too much pace on his pass into Maynard and the Hartlepool number one Jan Budtz was able to rush from his line and avert the danger.
A burst from Rix nearly saw him make some inroads inside the Hartlepool box but it fizzled out without us creating an opportunity.At the other end, Humphries tried to get his range with a fiercely driven shot from 25 yards out and Williams was called into action to save from the same player.
On the half an hour mark, a flowing move from the Alex allowed Bennett to carry possession into the Hartlepool half and after his low cross had missed out both Antwi and the onrushing Maynard, the arriving Shaun Miller didn't catch his shot right and his tame shot was easily gathered by Budtz. Miller didn't need telling twice that he should have at least tested the goalkeeper from what had turned out to be a clear opening.
As the half progressed Crewe were gaining more and more confidence and were beginning to look more of a threat going forward, without really testing Budtz. Saying that Hartlepool were hardly testing Williams either and were generally restricted to long range efforts from outside the box.
Then just a couple of minutes before the interval, Crewe were sloppy in possession and were left awfully exposed down our left flank. Ian Moore raced into space before delivering an excellent cross from the arriving Humphries, whose diving header thumped off the post and away to safety. There was even enough time on the clock for Williams to come to Crewe's rescue once again. He scrambled across his goal to push behind a dipping volley from Nolan behind for another corner. As Hartlepool stepped up the pressure, the Alex players were grateful for the half time whistle.
Barely a minute into the second half the home side should really have taken the lead. A fine run from James Brown eventually saw him pull back an inviting pass for Liddle, but he didn't connect with his shot as well as he would have liked and it bobbled wide of the target. It had been a golden opportunity and the pocket of Alex fans now behind Williams's goal drew a collective breath of relief.
In quick response, Rix nearly threaded Maynard through but the Alex youngster just couldn't get the ball under control, thus allowing Antwi to poke possession away from him just as he threatened to sprint clear.
After some fine defensive play from Roberts out on the touchline, Miller then raced onto a fine pass from Ben Rix and are twisting and turning Antwi inside the penalty area; his curling shot just cleared Budtz's post. It was an outstanding effort from Miller, but his shot just didn't have enough bend on it to really panic the Hartlepool stopper.
Hartlepool were struggling to get their shots on target. They were rather wayward with some of their shots, with winger Brown the worst offender. The match still needed a spark to warm the crowd up.
Just after the hour mark Miller, who was lively, made Budtz rush from his line to punch a dangerous high ball clear and the supportive Rix just couldn't hook the rebound into an empty net as the Hartlepool keeper recovered well.
The deadlock was finally broken on 66 minutes with Crewe undone at a corner routine. Robbie Elliott played a short one and floated the return to the far post where defender Michael Nelson was there to power home his header. After defending so well for so long, it was disappointing to concede from such a simple set-play move.
Almost immediately, Maynard nearly latched onto a pass from Rix but Budtz again did well when leaving his goal line. He smothered possession at the feet of Maynard as he looked to slip it by the grounded keeper.
After being involved in a hefty challenge, Bennett was replaced by Byron Moore. From the resulting free kick, Billy Jones curled one over the top of the bar. Danny Wilson also introduced the man who was going to seal the points Richard Barker for Michael Mackay.
With ten minutes remaining Church was also introduced for Ben Rix. The Alex were searching for an equaliser, but the home side finished off any hopes we had of doing that with six minutes remaining. It was the Hartlepool substitute Barker making the game safe with a fine finish. Williams had no chance whatsoever as Barker drilled it into the bottom corner.
Two minutes later, we were dead and buried when O'Connor tripped Ian Moore just inside the box. Barker stepped up and drilled home a killer third. Wilson's super sub had certainly done the trick.
There was just enough time for Colin Daniel to mark his senior debut as a late substitute for Maynard. Perhaps Daniel will be the only one to remember this trip North with any great fondness.
