Billy Waters hit extra-time winner for Alex youth team
Promising midfielder Billy Waters struck an unstoppable shot in extra-time as Crewe Alexandra’s Youth team came back to secure a 2-1 win against Carlisle United in the FA Youth Cup. Waters hit a powerful shot from around 20 yards out to finally defeat Jordan Parker in the Carlisle goal and secure a second round tie for the young Railwaymen.
Crewe were made to work hard for the result against a spirited and organised Carlisle side, but thoroughly deserved the victory for their persistence and control of much of the tie.
Carlisle had taken the lead at the start of the second half after the lively Pat Brough had been put through and kept his composure to guide his low shot past the Alex goalkeeper Robbie Johnson and into the net via the post. It was a wonderfully taken goal and Crewe found themselves behind after dominating much of the first 45 minutes.
Crewe had found Parker in inspired form and the Carlisle goalkeeper prevented the likes of Waters, the impressive Liam Wilson and Brandon Moores from giving us the lead. Callum Saunders also saw his close range effort pushed away by the busier of the two goalkeepers.
To their enormous credit, Crewe continued to press and probe and finally got their just rewards with 20 minutes left when a wonderfully crafted move between Wilson and Moores saw the Crewe winger race in to slide a perfectly placed shot past Parker. In extra-time, Waters forced Parker into a couple of fine saves again and substitute Dominic Smith should have done better with a close range header before the match winning moment.
Waters’ superb drive was worthy of winning any cup-tie and the Crewe youngsters had deserved to progress into the second round to face either Halifax or Scunthorpe in the next round.
The towering Smith hit the crossbar with a cheeky lob before an anxious finale saw Robbie Johnson make a fine save from Kyle Dempsey and then deny Brough an equaliser as he looked as though he was going to slip past the grounded Crewe goalkeeper but he smothered the chance.
Crewe: Johnson, Ballie, Appleton, Johnson, Gorman (c), Jones, Waters, Saunders, Wilson, Moores
Subs: Smith, Tyson (GK), Ng, Cooper, Howell
Carlisle: Parker, Gwinnott, Minor, Dempsey, Staunch, Morse, Thomson, Berwick, Lynch, Peel, Brough
Subs: McEvoy, Chisholm, Dixon, Hammall, Brass (GK)