Substitute Tom Pope snatched a dramatic equaliser to give Crewe a deserved point against the current league leaders Swansea City. Pope was in the right place at the right time to force home a pass from Eugen Bopp and full credit to first team coach Steve Holland who threw up three up front and took a gamble in difficult circumstances. Some of the crowd were hostile and were hardly inspiring our players, but he stuck to his tactics and ideas and it paid off in dramatic fashion.
We know we are in a hole, but if the players can show the guts to fight back against the best side in the league, then we have a chance of getting out of it. The supporters, who had vented their frustration in the second half remained behind to applaud the endeavour of the players and rightly so.
Crewe did look out of it at half-time after we gifted Roberto Martinez's side two cheap goals. Danny Woodards went to ground to fell his man Andy Robinson for a penalty, and Jason Scotland put Ben Williams the wrong way. Things got considerably worse for the home side when Gary Roberts cut out a through ball and diverted it past his own goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
The half-time interval was crucial and the Alex players stuck at it and got their just rewards by the end. Skipper Julien Baudet headed home a Bopp corner to halve the deficit and then Pope was there to score his forth of the season and sent the crowd into raptures.
Crewe received a boost with Julien Baudet (foot), Nicky Maynard (ankle) Gary Roberts (hip), Ben Rix (facial cut) and Michael O'Connor (ankle) all fit to face Swansea City. That meant Eugen Bopp, Ryan Lowe and Tom Pope all dropped to the substitutes bench. Club captain Neil Cox was ruled out with a shoulder injury.
The Railwaymen started the game brightly and were snapping into tackles all across the pitch. They didn't let Swansea settle into their rhythm of play and were enjoying spells of good possession. Therefore, it was a disastrous goal to concede after 8 minutes. Danny Woodard's tripped Robinson to concede an avoidable penalty and Scotland slipped home his 16th goal of the campaign. It would be tough enough against sides like Swansea but to gift them goals was going to make it even harder.
From an Angel Rangel cross Robinson headed wide before Crewe Alexandra's midfielder Steve Schumacher needed treatment for a bloodied nose. Crewe were making decent progress up the pitch but just lacked that cutting edge. Byron Moore, playing in that more advanced role had a shot blocked on the edge of the Swansea box.
There was a lot of good play in midfield from both sides, but chances were really few and far between. Scotland tried to catch out Ben Williams with an ambitious chip following a surging run from Tom Butler and at the other end Moore was halted in his tracks by Rangel.
There was an ironic cheer when Gary Roberts did actually register a shot on target, which was saved by Dorus De Vries but in fairness Swansea City were not creating chance after chance either. It was just one of those games.
Sadly, it looks as though Swansea City defender Dennis Lawrence has a serious ankle injury following a 50/50 tackle with Michael O'Connor. The Trinidadian was stretched off. Swansea continued to press looking for a second goal, but Baudet and O'Donnell were excellent in the heart of the Alex defence. Baudet cleared a dangerous looking cross destined for Scotland and O'Donnell stopped Gulliem Bauza with a timely interception inside the box.
Crewe were holding their own but five minutes before the interval disaster struck. Roberts tried to cut out a threw pass, sliced it off his boot and past his own goalkeeper Ben Williams and into an empty net. It was a horrible goal to concede and again so avoidable.
Following the half time break, Crewe again came out looking for a quick response. We nearly got one too with Ben Rix forcing a decent save from Dorus De Vries after Moore had intelligently played him in.
Scotland was always a nuisance and he had enough shot blocked by Baudet. It was an intriguing battle throughout the game. Bauza also shot tamely at Williams.
At the other end, Crewe continued to press looking for a goal that could change the whole complexion of the game. Maynard was unlucky not to get on the end of a knock down from Baudet.
Just after the hour mark, Swansea City introduced Darren Pratley for Butler. Moments later, Robinson tried a curling shot into the far corner, but Williams was well placed to make the save look comfortable.
Steve Holland introduced a couple of fresh faces themselves with Mark Carrington and Tom Pope coming on for youngsters Roberts and O'Connor.
Pope added some presence up front and applied some aerial pressure on Tate. Baudet fired a free kick just over the bar before Moore nearly created an opportunity for Pope but he could quite get his shot off.
With 15 minutes left, Rix was replaced by Bopp and the German soon made his presence felt. From a Bopp corner Baudet headed onto the top of the bar. Crewe were making a game of it and Bopp was central to our late chances.
With 8 minutes left, he saw a wonderful shot tipped over by the Swansea keeper. From the resultant corner, Bopp's corner was headed home by the impressive Baudet. It gave the crowd an almighty lift and Crewe sensed that we could get something from the game.
With the crowd driving them on, the Railwaymen dug in and got their just rewards when Bopp created that late chance for Pope. From the by-line, the former Nottingham Forest midfielder fed Pope, who got the ball from out from underneath his feet and he lifted beyond De Vries for a great and deserved point.
