29/08 Crewe 1st Half

By: Jeremy Baily
Date: 30/08/2000

New manager Lennie Lawrence got off to a losing start at Crewe last night, going down 2-0, but with a much improved perfomance and a new formation! Town started with 3 at the back with Paul Groves playing in a sweeper's role, flanked by Livvo and Raven..

Crewe 2 Grimsby Town 0
29 Aug 2000, Nationwide League Division 1

Town didn't line up in the normal 4-4-2 formation, but with 3 central defenders. Groves was to play as a sweeper for most of the game, a job he did in a very professional manner.

We were in Black and White, Crewe in Red.

The game got off to a good start with both teams playing and passing the ball well, Rodney Jack looked very 'up for it' and was to prove, to be a thorn in our side all evening. D Smith and Macca were finding space and being used as wing-backs to great effect, causing problems on both flanks, although nothing really came from anything.

We appeared to be playing more direct than of late, and mixing our play, even the occasional swift high ball, to take defence into attack.

After 12 mins Crewe score their first goal of the season, a break down our left, Rodney Jack is involved, no real challenges go in, he passes out to an overlapping fullback, the ball is slid across our six yard line for RIVERS to slot home, he was under pressure, but it was a poor goal from nothing really.

The game now changed, from ebbing and flowing in both directions, it was now almost oneway traffic, we passed them to death, going across the park one way, then back across again, we even have some efforts towards goal, not on target, but towards goal!

Groves shot over the bar, Black crossed for Jeffrey to head over and Groves should have done better when he came up for a free kick and glanced a free header wide. A Coldicott diving header would have gone in, if he had hair, sadly, he didn't connect, to Jeffrey's whipped in cross.

Everyone was playing their part, but, we just could not find that final ball into feet. Pouton, Coldicott and Black were running midfield and both Smith and Macca had the beating of the fullbacks, yet still nothing happened of real note, the Crewe goalkeeper did not have one save to make in the first half! Everything in the air was met by the head-scarf wearing Efe Sodje, who, along with Rodney Jack, were by far the best two on show, although for us, no-one was having a bad game, Macca being the best of the bunch.

Pouton was leaping about like a demented kangaroo, also doing his 'step-overs', surely learnt while dancing in Sydney's Mardi Gras, Coldicott was 'busy' and Black looked good, full of running and ideas, none of which came to much (sadly).

Crewe were more pleased than 'The Town', when the ref blew for half time

Half time: Crewe 1 Grimsby Town 0

Click here for the 2nd half report.

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