Joy unconfined as the Alex U21’s reach the play-offs
Crewe Alexandra held their nerve in their final game of the U21 Professional Development League North Division season to secure a spot in the play-offs with a 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.
Starting the day on 29 points, the Alex had both Sheffield United and Birmingham City breathing down their necks on 28 points – meaning the Alex needed to beat the Owls to guarantee a play-off berth, with both the Blues and Blades also in action.
A-Jay Leitch-Smith settled the nerves for the Alex in the first half with a well taken goal to go 1-0 up, and when Manchester City loanee George Evans struck after the break, the Railwaymen saw the game out for a deserved 2-0 victory to set up a play-off semi-final with South Division champs Cardiff City.
Results elsewhere became irrelevant because of the victory, but neither Birmingham nor Sheffield United could manage victories anyway. The Blues drew 2-2 with Coventry City, whilst Barnsley held the Blades to a 1-1 tie.
Huddersfield had already secured top spot in the division, but the Alex squeezed into second place after back-to-back victories, the key result coming last time out with a 4-0 demolition of the Blades.