The longest current unbeaten league record in Senior and Intermediate football fell today at Crewe Park after 39 games and 18 months as Crewe went down 3-1 to Valley Rangers.
MUFL Intermediate ‘A’
Crewe United 1 Valley Rangers 3
The game opened quietly with Crewe having most of the possession but no real chances being created. Gerard McMullan was getting a lot of joy down the right hand side and his threat was greatest of all. The chances however did begin to come for the home side and Conor Maxwell should have scored on the half hour mark after a cut back from Thomas Robinson but his scuffed shot went over the bar. Shortly after Ryan Kelly hit the crossbar and the pressure began to build from the home side.
The game turned however just as the half came to a close when Stevenson followed up after a smart save from Matson and tucked the ball home from 6 yards out.
HT: 0-1
Crewe came out with more urgency in the opening minutes of the second half but it was quickly dampened in the 49th minute when Stevenson pounced on a mistake from Matson and finished from close range.
The game began to open up as Crewe pushed forward to try to get back into the game. Johnston, Kelly and McMullan all went close and it was Johsnton who turned the ball in on 68 minutes after a scramble in the Valley goal mouth. Crewe sensed an equalizer and pushed and pushed but were denied by some good defending and a couple of good saves from Fitzpatrick.
The game was sealed for the visitors however on 81 minutes when Patterson scored from a corner and again some sloppy defending from Crewe.
Overall it was a disappointing performance but not without a lot of chances. Credit goes to all the Crewe players and management for a wonderful league record and the defeat brings another opportunity to begin another run.
FT: 1-3
MUFL Reserve Championship
Coagh United Reserves 3 Crewe United Reserves 2
Crewe made the trip to Coagh being the only side to beat them in the season so far. For a while it looked like the same outcome could happen. Massie Skillen scored in the 31st minute to take a 1-0 lead into half-time.
Crewe came out in the second half looking to finish the game off and it looked like that would be the outcome when Skillen scored a second after 52 minutes. However a response from Coagh only 5 minutes later turned the tide when Taylor brought the home side back into the game.
Taylor popped up again on the 69th minute to level things up and having the momentum, Kyle Colgan scored with 20 minutes to go to score what turned out to be the winner.
It was a super effort from the Reserves who will be disappointed in coming back home with nothing to show after a good performance.
FT: 3-2
