- Railwaymen rise back to sixth
- Long nets ninth of season
- Clean sheet for keeper Booth
Crewe Alexandra got 2024 off to the perfect start with victory over Bradford City at Mornflake Stadium.
Christopher Long’s first-half penalty, his ninth of the season, separated the sides after a hard-fought encounter on New Year’s Day.
It was a scrappy, attritional game but The Railwaymen dug deep to pick up their first three points in seven attempts.
They have climbed back to sixth in the standings after overcoming a Bantams side that had not lost in six.
Now Crewe will look to rest some battered and bruised bodies and prepare for another tough encounter at Mansfield Town at the weekend.
Lee Bell was forced into one change to the side that drew at Newport County due to the ankle injury sustained by Zac Williams. Shilow Tracey was recalled and Rio Adebisi reverted to full-back.
Bradford, who named ex-Alex forward Vadaine Oliver on the bench, were unchanged from their draw with leaders Stockport.
The hosts broke the deadlock on 13 minutes when Long raced through on goal and was taken out by Harry Lewis.
Alex players and staff were furious that the keeper didn’t get his marching orders, but Long kept cool to send Lewis the wrong was from the spot.
Tom Booth showed good gloves to hold a low Alex Gilliead strike, and the commanding Courtney Baker-Richardson headed off the line as Bradford looked for a leveller.
Just after the half-hour mark Charles Oduor got down the left and squared for Tyler Smith, but the striker’s shot went just wide from a great position.
Luke Offord got to the byline and drove in a low cross just before the break but Lewis did very well to intercept and clear.
The second half was arguably scrappier than the first, with neither side able to get the ball down and play football.
Andy Cook screwed one wide and then saw a headed goal ruled out for offside as the game approached its final 20 minutes.
On 78 minutes Aaron Rowe stood up an inviting cross that Elliott Nevitt controlled on his chest, but the striker whipped his shot over the bar.
Booth threw up a hand to tip a Cook header onto the bar as the visitors pressed desperately in the closing stages.
And in the last seconds of five added minutes the young keeper scrambled across his line to claw away an Oliver header that looked destined to drop in the net.
Crewe (4-2-3-1): Booth; Billington, O’Riordan, Demetriou, Adebisi; Offord, White; Rowe, Long (Nevitt, 60), Tracey (Cooney, 83); Baker-Richardson.
Subs not used: Davies, Kempster-Down, Nolan, Agius, Robinson.
Booked: Rowe, Billington, Booth, Demetriou, Baker-Richardson
Bradford (3-4-3): Lewis; Tomkinson, Platt, Kelly; Halliday, Gilliead (Oliver, 75), Oduor, Smallwood, Ridehalgh (Pointon, 75); Cook, Smith (Derbyshire, 61).
Subs not used: Doyle, Taylor, Osadebe, McDonald.
Booked: Smallwood, Halliday.
Referee: P Wright.
Attendance: 5,529 (1,294).