ShrewsTRUST Man of the Match

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Crewe: Steve Phillips, John Brayford (c), Steven Schumacher, Clayton Donaldson, Calvin Zola, Joel Grant (Shaun Miller 76), Mathew Mitchel-King, James Bailey, Ashley Westwood, Matt Tootle, Carl Martin (Harry Worley 46)

Subs: Adam Legzdins, Patrick Ade, Luke Murphy, Simon Walton, Danny Gardner

Town: David Button, Dean Holden, Joe Skarz, Graham Coughlan (c) (Steve Leslie 46), Terry Dunfield, Dave Hibbert, Jamie Cureton (Tom Bradshaw 75), Jake Simpson (Benjamin Van Den Broek 80), Lewis Neal, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Kevin McIntyre

Subs: Kris Bright, Paul Murray, Harry Hooman, Chris Neal,

Goals: D.Hibbert 29, T.Bradshaw 88, 90

Ref: C Boyeson
Assistants: A Horton & R Johnson
Fourth Official: C Harwood

Attendance: 4283 (847)

Paul Simpson sticks with the same side as Town look to get back to winning ways at Gresty Road.

It was the home side who had the first chance of the game with Zola putting a header wide of the target when he looked odds on to score.This seemed to give Town a little kick and after that they took the game to Crewe.Jake Simpson was seeing a lot of the ball down the right hand side and was getting in some good deliveries.He was also causing the Crewe defence problems when he cut inside and drove into the penalty area, winning a couple of corners.

With 15 minutes on the clock it was Crewe who were seeing the most of the attacking play but they weren't doing too much with it. They flashed a couple of shots wide and this the post but other than that the Town defence and Dave Button were coping well.

Town were moving the ball well and looking to build but it was still Crewe who were creating a string of good chances.Zola was wasting a number of decent efforts and when Schumacher played a ball in behind the Town defence Zola looked odds on to score, Button was quickly off his line to try and narrow the angle, Zola lifted the ball over the Town keeper who was relieved to see the ball drop on the top of the net.

It was the visitors though who took the lead with a nicely worked team goal.the ball was played down the left to Lewis Neal, he held it up and then played it into Jamie Cureton who let it run to Dave Hibbert, he switched play to Dean Holden out right who in turn played it to Jake Simpson out on the touchline, he took a touch and then whipped in a great ball to the near post to find Dave Hibbert who flashed a header past Phillips that went in at the back post to make it 1-0 to Town.

The goal seemed to take the wind of Crewe and they began to look nervous and make a number of unforced errors and misplaced passes.Town to their credit were still taking the game to the home side and were keeping the ball well, and playing it around nicely looking to build.

Half-time: 1-0

The second half started with a changed to the Town line-up with Graham Coughlan going off to be replaced by Steve Leslie, Leslie slotted in at right-back with Dean Holden moving into the centre of defence and taking the captain's armband.

Crewe had a good sight of the Town goal after the restart with Westwood hitting in a dipping volley that Button was equal to.After that it was Town through who were the more attacking of the two sides.Leslie was offering an extra dimension down the right when linking up with Simpson who again was putting in some excellent deliveries.On the left hand side Lewis Neal and Skarz were also linking well to offer options down both flanks.

Town were awarded a free-kick just on the edge of the Crewe box after McIntyre was tripped.It was right on the diagonal and Steve Leslie curled in a great shot that left Phillips routed to the spot but the bar was there to save Crewe, the ball came back out and Cureton then drove in another great shot that again left Phillips routed to the spot but again the woodwork was there to save the home side.

There was a heart in the mouths moment for the Town fans after Crewe broke quickly down the centre of the park, the ball was with Zola who was going shoulder to shoulder with Skarz who sent the Crewe forward flying on the edge of the box, ref Boyeson awarded the free-kick and after a long look at it produced a yellow card for Skarz.

With 15-minutes of the game remaining Paul Simpson made his second change of the game brining off Jamie Cureton and replacing him with youth player Tom Bradshaw who was making his Town debut.

Town got a second goal with 5 minutes remaining on the clock and it was an superb finish from debutant Tom Bradshaw. Crewe were awarded a free-kick 30 yards from the Town goal, the ball was floated in but Button collected well and then threw a massive ball downfield to find Bradshaw just inside the Crewe half, he took a touch and then looped a great shot in 30 yards that flew over Phillips and into the top corner to make it 2-0 to Town.

With second remaining Town grabbed a third with a quick break that started with Skarz, then McIntyre into Benjamin Van Den Broek who had come out to the left, he cut along the by-line and then drove the ball over to the face of the goal to find Tom Bradshaw unmarked who sided footed the ball into the net for his second goal and Town's third.

Full-time: 3-0