County v Crewe: Match Thread (13/02/2024)

All right then, cracks knuckles, what can we say about Crewe? Well they sit third, one point ahead of Barrow, and two ahead of Wrexham (albeit they have two games in hand), three points ahead of MKD and seven ahead of Dark Horse Harrogate Town. Crewe's record of W 15 D 9 L 7 F 56 A 44 shows that, unlike last season, they can score goals but leak goals at the back. Their A record is more mixed W 5 D 6 L 4 F 25 A 22, which is 8th in L2 but suggests that they are capable of taking a point or three home.

Their Ws are Newport (h) 4-2, MKD (h) 3-1, FGR (a) 1-4, Cole U (h) 2-1, Gillingham (h) 2-0, Tranmere (h) 2-0, Crawley (a) 2-4, Harrogate (a) 0-1, Notts (h) 1-0, Donny (h) 3-2, Bratfut (h) 1-0, Mansfield (a) 0-1, Swindon (h) 2-1, Barrow (a) 1-3 and Crawley (h) 1-0. Their Ds are Mansfield (h) 2-2 on opening day, Swindon (a) 2-2, Walsall (h) 2-2, Wombles (a) 2-2, Wrexham (a) 3-3, Sutton (a) 1-1, Accy (a) 3-3, Newport (a) 1-1 and Tranmere (a) 0-0. Their Ls are Bratfut (a) 1-0, Salford (a) 4-2, County (h) 0-2, Grimsby (a) 2-1, Barrow (h) 1-3, Walsall (a) 2-0 and Salford (h) 2-3,

So that's fairly impressive, some wins against top sides and a few more clean sheets than I expected (8 to be precise), although that underlines that they can leak goals as well. Of those 8 clean sheets, 4 have come since Boxing Day, and in Jan and Feb their combined record is W 5 D 1 L 1 F 10 A 5, including Ws over Mansfield and Barrow, which catches the eye and merits respect.

Their top scorers are Elliott Nevitt on 10, he has 10 in 49 apps since joining from Tranmere last Jan, then 6ft 2 fellow striker Courtney Baker-Richardson on 9 (he has 17 goals in 54 career apps for Crewe, after 8 goals in 31 for Newport) also on 9 and also fellow striker Chris Long (he has 22 in 60 apps for Crewe, as well as 11 in 54 for Motherwell. Next up is veteran D Mickey Demetriou on 6 in 30 apps since joining from Newport (26 in 258 apps)last summer. Three players have scored 3 apiece, three more have two apiece and six more have one goal each. So that's lots of goals from lots of different players, meaning lots to think about for DC and crew.

Back in Jan they signed Preston's MF Lewis Leigh on loan for the rest of the season, he spent the first half of the season on loan at Bromley, playing 13 times in the National League. Also coming in on loan was Huddersfield's MF Josh Austerfield (to replace County loan target Joe White, who went back to Newcastle due to their injury problems). He has some pedigree having two loan spells at Harrogate in L2 as well as at Morecambe in their relegation season from L1. On deadline day they signed on loan Brighton's D Ed Turns who spent the first half of the season on loan at Orient playing 13 apps, although only 1 for Crewe so far. Also re-signing on deadline day, on a permanent deal was striker Charlie Kirk, he played 181 games for Crewe, scoring 29 times, in 2016-2021, then scoring 3 in 33 apps for Charlton in 2021 - 2023.

After deadline day they signed ex RoI GK Kieren Westwood on a short term deal after first choice keeper Tom Booth was hospitalised by a collision with Tranmere forward Charlie Jolley left him with a collapsed lung - get well soon. Westwood has played for a clutch of clubs but last played at QPR in early 2022. First choice keeper is now 6ft 3 Harvey Davies. He has appeared 23 times for Crewe since arriving last June on season long loan from Liverpool.

On the way out in Jan were 6ft 4 D Connor O'Riordan, 27 apps this term and 52 in total, on his way to Blackburn on a deal until 2028, and MF Charlie Colkett to Notts County on loan for the rest of the season, he has scored once in 15 apps since 2022.

So that's quite a bit of turnover, a rejigged midfield and a defensive mainstay gone to L1 so it's hard to say what sort of ide will turn up but this is no safe home win. I fancy them to score one or two but be suspect at the back. A draw would not be a bad result but I'll be crossing my fingers for a solid County win.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in L2:

13th placed Accy v 8th placed Wombles
4th placed Barrow v Rock Bottom FGR
14th placed Bratfut v 6th placed MKD
9th placed Gillingham v 17th placed Swindon
2nd placed Mansfield v 7th placed form team Harrogate
11th placed Newport v 10th placed slumping Notts
No longer Rock Bottom Sutton v 5th placed Wrexham

Come on Harrogate!

Following on from a fantastic
Away win, Crewe come to Edgeley but
County blow them away with
Two early goals, finally ending 3-1 to the blues

What the f*** was that

What the hell is wrong with us, we look like a side that's fighting to avoid relegation.

We need to wake up here or this could end up messy.

Nick Powell's just played a fabulous ball to Paddy there, absolutely brilliant.

I had a feeling that Crewe had a goal in them, maybe two, but they do seem to leak goals so keep the fingers crossed.

Harrogate getting spanked at Mansfield, grrrrrrrr. I thought they could get a draw or even a win there. What do I know?

I don't know what the f*** this is Dave, but you need to get it sorted - it's f***ing awful.