Crewe bowed out of the Steel & Sons Cup at the Quarter Final stage as Ballymacash Rangers progressed with a 2-0 victory.
Steel & Sons Cup
Crewe United 0 Ballymacash Rangers 2
The game started as a scrappy affair and continued in that vain for much of the half with both teams cancelling each other out.
The visitors looked the more dangerous and took the lead on the half hour mark after a corner wasn’t fully cleared and Morrison squeezed his effort into the far post to go one up.
Ballymacash had the initiative and were unfortunate not to make it two on the stroke of half time as and effort from Davidson hit the post.
HT: Crewe United 0 Ballymacash Rangers 1
The second half started more positively for Crewe with better passing, but the home side were missing the injured Dan Smith and new signing Jason Johnston who was unavailable for the Steel & Sons, and attacks looked disjointed. That said there should have been a penalty awarded to Crewe as Cahoon handled inside the penalty area.
On the hour mark Smith made it 2-0 after finishing off a good move down the left hand side. Straight away Crewe thought they had pulled one back but a goal was ruled out for offside.
Crewe introduced Murphy and Calvert to the front line which made a difference to their attack. Murphy should have scored after his own great work but Neeson saved well with his feet. Gerard McMullan had a good opportunity but was met with good defending.
The final minutes of the game became scrappy once more and a poor tackle from Brown saw a straight red produced. Then Michael Moore was dismissed after pulling back Tiernan McAuley and subsequently throwing a punch. McAuley was also harshly dismissed in the same incident when it seemed he didn’t do much wrong.
FT: Crewe United 0 Ballymacash Rangers 2
Overall it was a disappointing performance from Crewe but a deserved victory for the visitors. Crewe will dust themselves down as league action awaits on Tuesday night at home to Dungannon Tigers, 7.45 kick off.
MUFL Reserve Championship
Crewe United Res 1 Banbridge Town Res 2
The Reserves had the pleasure of our first competitive floodlit game at George Smith Park at Crewe Park on Friday night.
Adam Hamilton opened the scoring for the visitors after only 5 minutes after a foul from new signing Odran Ferry who joined from Fivemiletown United.
Crewe deservedly got back on level terms after 20 minutes from Ronan Hamill who has been in good form since joining the club.
Glenn Park had an eventful match after coming on in the 65th minute for Banbridge. He was booked soon after, scored what proved to be the winner in the 75th minute and got sent off after the game was over.
The home side created a lot of chances but just couldn’t convert those, and possession, into goals.
FT: Crewe United Res 1 Banbridge Town Res 2
Next week the Reserves are back in league action at Home to Oxford Sunnyside Reserves.
