Crewe Alexandra took a huge step towards division one safety as stand-in
striker Colin Little blasted them to a 3-1 victory against Portsmouth.
Little, in for the injured Rodney Jack, scored twice in the opening period and
Crewe captain Shaun Smith also netted as the hosts won the game with a
devastating first half display.
The warning signs were there for Portsmouth as early as the fifth minute as
Crewe's skilful midfield almost broke the deadlock.
Seth Johnson and Danny Murphy linked up well and Murphy played in Jermaine
Wright but the Portsmouth keeper slid from his line to clear the danger.
A minute later Knight grabbed the ball from the on-rushing Rivers and it was
clear that Crewe were going all-out to get the three points which would
virtually assure their first division survival.
Crewe continued to have the better of a bright first period and almost got
their reward when Rivers fired over after being released by Johnson.
But the goal Crewe had threatened arrived a minute later as bad defending and
ill fortune conspired to sink Portsmouth.
Rivers' smart through-ball played in Little who beat the offside trap and ran
unchallenged on goal. Knight slipped and Little gleefully took advantage as he
put Crewe in front.
Ten minutes later, Walton won an aerial challenge and flipped the ball on to
set Little free in the area and the Crewe number nine made no mistake as he
slotted home under Knight.
Claridge forced a good safe from Kearton on 39 minutes as Portsmouth enjoyed
their best spell of the game. But Crewe weathered the storm and Little almost
made it 3-0 as he forced a point blank save from Knight.
Portsmouth's reprieve was only temporary and in first half stoppage time Smith
fired Crewe 3-0 up when he curled a 20-yard free kick past the helpless Pompey
keeper.
Portsmouth manager Alan Ball had clearly taken his side to task during the
interval and their immediate improvement was rewarded on 49 minutes when Alan
McLoughlin was left unmarked in the box and was able to crash a shot past
Kearton.
Claridge should have made it 3-2 but fired weakly at Kearton from eight yards
and moments later Durnin fired narrowly over as Pompey threatened to haul
themselves back in the game.
Portsmouth's second half showing was far removed from their first half
capitulation though their hopes of a comeback receded as they failed to turn
possession into clear-cut chances.
Crewe confined themselves to playing on the break though Little still had a
chance to claim a hat trick but he fired over from a tight angle.
Teams:
Crewe: Kearton, D. Wright, Smith, MacAuley, Walton, Charnock,
J. Wright, Johnson, Little (Street 92), Murphy, Rivers.
Subs Not Used: Lightfoot, Newell.
Booked: Little, Walton.
Goals: Little 21, 30, Smith 45.
Portsmouth: Knight, Robinson, Simpson, McLoughlin, Whitbread,
Awford (Miglioranzi 28), Durnin, Peron (Phillips 69), Vlachos,
Claridge, Igoe.
Subs Not Used: Nightingale.
Booked: McLoughlin, Vlachos.
Goals: McLoughlin 49.
Att: 5,759
Ref: E Lomas (Manchester).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook