Crewe Alexandra 4, Wycombe Wanderers 1.
WANDERERS were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle on a black day at Gresty Road.
Blues were not only still reeling from the pre-match news Nikki Bull said he no longer wanted to play for the club, but their lengthy injury list got even longer.
They lost both of their starting centre halves as Gary Doherty and Anthony Stewart both hobbled off before half time, and Crewe took full advantage against their inexperienced opponents.
They came steaming back from going behind to Matt Spring’s strike – aided and abetted by some rotten goalkeeping – and were in front by half time before two long range efforts sealed things after the break.
Bull’s replacement between the sticks, Jordan Archer, saved a second half penalty and had he not been in such excellent form Wanderers would have been on the receiving end of a real hammering.
He was called into action early on when he reacted smartly to beat away Mathias Pogba’s firmly-hit effort after Chuks Aneke’s ball in had caused havoc in the Wanderers defence.
The injury curse that has blighted Blues in recent weeks got worse when skipper Doherty had to go off with barely ten minutes on the clock. Striker Richard Logan went on and a reshuffle of the back four meant Gareth Ainsworth’s tactical plan was in tatters, with midfielder Sam Wood dropping back into defence.
Their fortune changed however as a goalkeeping howler handed Wanderers the lead. Josh Scowen’s tenacity won the ball back in midfield and he teed up Spring to shoot from 25 yards out.
Although the former Watford man’s shot packed a punch it was straight at Crewe keeper Alan Martin, but he misjudged it and let the ball slip under him and into the net – leading to chants of ‘Are you Bully in disguise’ from the gleeful travelling supporters.
Martin redeemed himself by touching away Bruno Andrade’s inviting cross with Logan waiting to pounce, before making a sharp stop at his near post to deny the QPR loanee.
The lead was short lived however as Byron Moore went past Charles Dunne – now deployed at right back following Doherty’s departure – before crossing for Pogba to touch home from close range after Aneke had helped the ball on.
Archer did well to tip away a Michael West cross-shot but it was Wanderers who were doing more of the attacking and Martin showed good reactions to foil Andrade once more at the near post.
Some last ditch defending kept the scores level as firstly Dunne denied Harry Davis before Scowen raced back to foil Crewe skipper Luke Murphy, as Pogba’s misplaced cross reached him.
Anthony Stewart was injured in the melee that followed in the goalmouth and he failed to recover, as 17-year-old Kortney Hause was sent on for his Wanderers debut just after Blues fell behind.
Nobody was able to stop a right wing cross from reaching the back post and although Archer made a superb save to deny Ellis he was powerless to prevent the defender from nodding home the rebound from virtually on the goalline.
It could have been even worse as the Railwaymen snaffled possession straight from the restart and a brilliant Archer save kept out Moore, as he made a brave block at the winger’s feet.
With so little experience among the players in the Blues backline it was inevitable chances would come Crewe’s way and Archer made an impressive diving save to keep out Aneke after Spring had been caught napping just outside the penalty area.
However it was the experienced head at the back, Dave Winfield, who gave Crewe the chance to wrap the game up when he sent Pogba sprawling in the area for a penalty. Archer spared his blushes however as he dived to his right to turn away Davis’s spot kick.
But just past the hour mark Alex grabbed the third goal they had been threatening and it took something special to get the better of Archer as Aneke thumped the ball into the top corner from outside the box.
Moore fired over from close range after a corner was flicked on to him before Archer pulled off another great save to add to the scrapbook, turning away Matt Tootle’s rasping effort from 12 yards.
Another wondergoal, this time from Murphy, added to Crewe’s total as the captain let rip from 20 yards and found the same corner of the net Aneke had fired into as the Railwaymen sealed a handsome victory.
Man of the match Pogba missed an easy chance to make it five as he turned and blazed woefully over from three yards from substitute Gregor Robertson's pull back.
Wanderers: Archer, Stewart (sub Hause), Winfield, Doherty (sub Logan), Dunne, Spring, Scowen, Wood, Grant, Andrade, Morias (sub Kewley-Graham). Substitutes not used: Ainsworth, Oli, Harrison, Taylor.
Attendance: 2,417 (143 from Wycombe)
