Match Report | Crewe 1 Mallorca 3

• First defeat in pre-season for the Railwayme
• Moore finds the net
• 22 players get more minutes into the legs

Crewe fall to their first defeat in pre-season against La Liga outfit Real Mallorca which was behind-closed-doors.

The Alex were edged out 3-1 in a technical battle at Aston Villa’s training facilities, Bodymoor Heath.

All the goals came in the second period with Luca Moore netting for the Reds.

Lee Bell fielded 22 players, who all got valuable minutes into their legs against a strong opponent.

A different type of test for the Alex which started with the Spanish side controlling most of the possession, but it was Kane Hemmings who came closest in the seventh minute.

Max Sanders’ driven free-kick was flicked over from close-range by the experienced forward.

Looking to continue his fine form in pre-season was Jack Lankester who was pushed towards the ground, but he managed to retrieve the ball and fire a powerful shot at Dominik Greif. The ‘keeper made a superb save to deny him.

Ryan Cooney had to make two vital blocks from close-range, but that was the closest Mallorca could get to Tom Booth.

Lewis Billington latched onto the end of Lankester’s set-piece, but again the Spanish stopper stayed tall.

The biggest chance of the half fell to Matus Holicek, who was only denied by a strong right arm in the Mallorca net – else it would’ve been 1-0.

Just before the interval, the travelling side hit the outside of the right post.

With Tuesday night’s friendly with Stoke in mind, Bell made a number of changes at the break.

The deadlock was broken on 55 minutes, with Antonio Latorre Grueso coming inside the left flank to curl an effort into the bottom corner.

It was 2-0 minutes later when Marc Domenech Gonzalez latched onto a misplaced pass and slotted the ball past Filip Marschall.

Omar Bogle had to be replaced on 70 minutes after suffering a blow to his lower back.

A goal created in the Academy saw Will Perry’s cross headed back across goal by Stan Dancey and Luca Moore excellently guided his shot into the top corner.

Calum Agius almost made it 2-2 in the closing stages when Shilow Tracey closed down the ‘keeper. Agius looked to chip the ball into the goal, but his chance went just wide of the target.

Mallorca made it three with four minutes left on the clock as a back pass to Marschall was intercepted and Vedat Muric capitalised.

First Half (4-2-3-1): Booth; Cooney, Billington, Knight-Lebel, Williams; Sanders, Lunt; Holicek, Lankester, Roberts; Hemmings.

Second Half (4-2-3-1): Marschall; Cooney (Collins 60’), Trialist A, Dancey, Sant; Tabiner, Lunt (Perry 60’); Agius, Roberts (Moore 60’), Tracey; Hemmings (Bogle 60’).