Matchday Guide | Swindon Town (A)

12 August 2023

The Alex will aim to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they visit Swindon Town at the County Ground on Saturday (3pm).

Lee Bell will be looking to build on the opening day draw against Mansfield and the cup success over Sunderland in midweek as his men face up to their first League Two away day of 2023-24.

The Opposition

This will be Swindon Town's first league of the season after their scheduled opener was postponed last weekend due to a waterlogged pitch at Colchester.

In midweek, the Robins were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League One side Peterborough on penalties.

The Gaffer

Michael Flynn became manager of Swindon Town in May. The former Newport County and Walsall manager will harbour big ambitions for the club in his first season at the helm.

Fighting Talk

Lee Bell: "Saturday will be a really tough game. They have a good manager and he has got some good players together and we will have to be at it again. The players who came into the side in midweek have given us a right headache for Saturday, but it’s a good headache because that’s what we wanted them to do."

Michael Flynn: "I can't wait to be in front of the fans and I'm hoping for a positive result. It'll be tough because Crewe play with freedom and have an experienced spine and some very good young players. It's one we have to take seriously and out-work, out-battle and out-fight them."

Squad news

Crewe will be without Charlie Colkett (hamstring) and will make checks on a number of players carrying slight knocks.

Swindon winger Tyrese Shade is expected to miss out, while defenders Tom Clayton and Reece Devine will miss out.

Head-to-Head

Crewe and Swindon have met 45 times with Swindon coming out on top 21 wins. Crewe have won 18 times and the remaining fixtures have been draws. Last season, Crewe did the double over Town.

Officials

Scott Jackson has been appointed as referee. Assistant referees are Adam Ricketts and Steve Durnell, while Richard Morris is fourth official.

How To Get There

For details of how to get to the County Ground via rail or road click HERE.

Ticket Details

Arkells Stand Prices:
Adults	£27
Over 65s	£22
Students	£22
Under-21s	£15
Under-18s	£11
Under-11s	£5

Elsewhere in League Two

Barrow v Sutton; Bradford City v Colchester; Gillingham v Accrington; Harrogate v Forest Green; MK Dons v Tranmere; Mansfield v Morecambe; Newport v Doncaster; Notts County v Grimsby; Salford City v Crawley; Walsall v Stockport; Wimbledon v Wrexham.

Can't Make The Game?

Crewe fans in the UK and around the world can listen to LIVE commentary on iFollow - CLICK HERE to purchase an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50!

Match Reports

Match Report | Swindon 2 Crewe 2

12 August 2023

Railwaymen battle back to force draw
Williams and Adebisi on the mark
Unbeaten start to season extended

Crewe Alexandra fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 for the second successive weekend, after goals from Zac Williams and Rio Adebisi earned a point at Swindon Town.

The hosts were in charge throughout the first half and led at the break thanks to Udoka Godwin-Malife.

When Jake Young doubled their lead immediately after the restart Crewe had a mountain to climb.

But Lee Bell’s men showed magnificent spirit and character to battle back again and extend their unbeaten start to the season.

Following the midweek cup success at Sunderland, Manager Bell reverted back to the side that drew with Mansfield in the opening League Two fixture – aside from one change. Courtney Baker-Richardson led the attack instead of Elliott Nevitt.

Swindon left Tariq Uwakwe, who left Crewe in the summer, on their bench while skipper Charlie Austin spearheaded their offensive effort.

Keeper Harvey Davies was quickly off his line to put a crunching tackle in on Jacob Wakeley as the Town striker ran through early on, and then he sprang high to claw a Saidou Khan effort from the top corner.

But on 21 minutes it was 1-0 to the hosts when Frazer Blake-Tracy floated it to the back post and Benn Ward nodded it to Godwin-Malife who headed low into the corner,

Just after the half hour, as Crewe started to make an attacking impression, Shilow Tracey was unlucky that his deflected effort dropped inches wide after good work down the right by Baker-Richardson.

Two super blocks from Jack Powell denied Town a second as the home side continued to press, and the half-time whistle was welcome from an Alex point of view.

Matus Holicek replaced Conor Thomas at the break, while Uwakwe was one of two introductions for Swindon.

The other, Young, made it 2-0 with his first touch when he was allowed space to pull the trigger from 20 yards and the ball rattled into the bottom corner.

At the other end Baker-Richardson steamed forward and cut back for Christopher Long who was narrowly wide with his first-time effort.

Holicek forced a save from keeper Murphy Mahoney, and just after the hour-mark it was 2-1.

After some neat build-up play Williams took aim from range and his angled drive skidded into the bottom corner.

Town looked rattled and the Alex moved forward to take advantage of their lifeline, but Long’s piledriver free-kick was brilliantly saved by Mahoney.

Adebisi curled one over the bar for Crewe, while Blake-Tracey whistled one wide for Swindon, as the game moved into the final 15 minutes.

Adebisi flicked a header just over the bar after a great cross by Ryan Cooney, while Austin missed a sitter from close range at the other end.

But Adebisi made no mistake in the 85^th minute when he met a superb Joel Tabiner cross and guided it across the keeper and into the net.

Crewe looked the most likely to nick it in the closing stages but the shares were spoiled for a second successive weekend.

Swindon (5-3-2): Mahoney; Hutton, Malife, Brewitt, Tracey,Ward (Uwakwe, 46); McEachran (Kinsella, 78), Khan, Kemp; Austin, Wakeling (Young, 46).

Subs not used: Brann, Genesini, Cain, Minturn.

Booked: McEachran, Brewitt, Blake-Tracey, Mahoney.

Crewe (4-3-3): Davies; Williams, Demetriou, Offord, Adebisi; Powell (Cooney, 67), Tabiner, Thomas (Holicek, 46); Tracey, Long, Baker-Richardson (Nevitt, 61).

Subs not used: Booth, O’Riordan, Lunt, Billington.

Booked: Adebisi, Powell, Williams, Thomas, Long, Davies.

Referee: Scott Jackson.

Attendance: 9,022 (215).