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Match Previews

MATCH PREVIEW - A in-depth look at Crewe ahead of this weekend's match

16 February 2023

Town bounced back from defeat at home to Stockport County last weekend to take a hard fought point against Salford City in midweek.

And a return to The Envirovent Stadium this coming weekend will see them searching for three points that would see them build on a strong performance in Salford.

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Our opponents

Crewe were relegated from League One last season, with just seven wins all season ending their three-year stay in the division.

They come into the game in 17th position, on 35 points, with their 2-0 midweek win at home to Hartlepool ending a six-game winless run.

They are averaging a point per game on their travels this season, having drawn six of their 12 away games and have netted eight times away from home.

Earlier this season

Town went down to a 3-0 reversal at The Mornflake Stadium in their first away trip of the 2022/23 season. Two set-piece goals on the stroke of half-time from Dan Agyei and Kelvin Mellor proved decisive and Courtney Baker-Richardson added the final flourish with fifteen minutes to consign Town to defeat.

Ones to watch

Forwards Agyei and Baker-Richardson, both on target against Town earlier in the season, top the scoring charts with eight and seven goals respectively.

Agyei has also three assists to his name with midfield Callum Mellor tallying on four goals.

The experienced Rod McDonald will be heavily relied upon for his defensive solidarity in a back four alongside Rio Adebisi and Luke Offord.

19 year-old Ryan Finnigan, who arrived on loan from Southampton in the January window, has settled well into the midfield. Forwards Elliott Nevitt and David Amoo also arrived on permanent deals from Tranmere and Stevenage respectively.

The man in charge

40 year-old Lee Bell is in charge at Crewe, having stepped up from assistant manager to replace Alex Morris.
It is Bell's first managerial position after a playing career that saw him have to spells at Alex as well as representing Macclesfield Town, Mansfield Town and Burton Albion.

History

The club was formed back in 1877, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals in 1888 and became a founding member of the Football League Second Division in 1892.

They were then invited to join the new Third Division North in 1921, where they would remain for almost four decades, then being placed in the new Fourth Division before finally earning a promotion in 1962/63.

Relegation shortly followed and the club spent the next two decades in the lower reaches of the league before a change in fortunes under Dario Gradi.

Gradi oversaw the club for over 20 years, leading Alex to promotion to the third tier before reaching the second tier in 1997, where they stayed for eight of the next nine seasons.

During his time in charge the club saw the likes of David Platt, Neil Lennon, Rob Jones, Craig Hignett and Dean Ashton all make moves to top-flight clubs.

The club fell though would fall back down the divisions, dropping to the bottom division in 2009, before subsequently bouncing between League One and League Two with last season ending in their relegation.

Team news

Long-term absentees Stephen Dooley, Kyle Ferguson and Kayne Ramsay remain on the sidelines, but elsewhere there is a full compliment for Simon Weaver to select from.


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