The Chronicle
Crewe Alex made it lucky number 13 against leader Notts County with their best performance of the season on Tuesday night.
Michael Raynes’ first goal for the club and a Jordan Bowery strike knocked the Magpies off the top of the league as the Railwaymen ended a run of a dozen games without success against them.
The home side defended superbly and played excellent football at times to make it back-to-back home successes and move up two spots in League Two.
It was an unexpected result in many ways. Kevin Nolan’s side had every reason to be confident going into this one, having lost just twice all season and taken 29 of 39 points they had contested for.
And they went into the game boasting a superb record against their hosts.
They had won eight and drawn four of the last 12 meetings between the sides.
In fact, you have to trace back to March 1997 to find the last Alex success against the Magpies, when Mark Rivers got the only goal of the game. And their previous defeat in South Cheshire was a year earlier, with Dele Adebola (2) and Phil Charnock on target in a 3-0 Crewe win.
Nottingham Post
Notts County lost their place at the top of the League Two table as they slipped to defeat against Crewe for the first time in 20 years.
The Magpies fell behind on the stroke of half-time when defender Michael Raynes lashed in from close range after Eddie Nolan had headed George Cooper’s free-kick across goal.
Carl Dickinson did go close with a free-kick, but it was Crewe who doubled their lead when Cooper picked out the run of Jordan Bowery who applied a neat finish.
Notts attempted to launch a fightback, but got very little change from a mean Crewe defence as Luton’s win at Exeter meant they replaced the Magpies.
Notts County FC Official Website
Notts County were beaten 2-0 at Crewe Alexandra this evening.
Goals either side of half-time from Michael Raynes and Jordan Bowery were enough to hand the hosts victory….