After a difficult midweek that saw them fall to defeat at Mansfield, Town have an immediate opportunity to recover and return to the form that put them top of the form table over the last 10 matches
It will be another tough fixture for Simon Weaver’s side though with the Railwaymen coming away with all three points from a 3-1 victory at leaders Stockport on Tuesday that sees them come into the game in the automatic promotion positions.
Our opponents
A season ago Crewe finished in 13th position on 58 points in their first season back in League Two following relegation at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.
Heading into the final third of this season they have a two point advantage over fourth placed Wrexham, built on a strong home return that has seen them post ten wins en route to 33 points from 16 games.
Recent form has been strong, with six wins and just one defeat from eight games in 2024.
Previous meetings
In late October, Crewe came away from The Envirovent Stadium with all three points with Zac Williams netting in the first half to secure a 1-0 victory.
A year ago Town went down to a 3-0 reversal at The Mornflake Stadium as two set-piece goals on the stroke of half-time from Dan Agyei and Kelvin Mellor proved decisive before Courtney Baker-Richardson added the final flourish with fifteen minutes to go.
The man in charge
Lee Bell is in charge for the Railwaymen, having stepped up from assistant manager to replace Alex Morris early last season.
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.
Ones to watch
The goals have been shared around the side so far this season with former Tranmere man Elliott Nevitt having found the net on ten occasions.
Chris Long and Courtney Baker-Richardson have nine apiece, whilst Mickey Demetriou has settled in well since arriving from Newport with seven goals and six assists.
Jack Powell has four assists from midfield with Rio Adebisi offering a creative outlet from a defensive position.
Former Town loanee Josh Austerfield moved to the club on loan in January and found the back of the net in the victory over Stockport with defender Ed Turns also arriving until the end of the season from Premier League side Brighton.
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 was swift however and the club spent the next two decades in the lower reaches of the league before a change in fortunes under Dario Gradi, who 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 Gradi’s 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
Simon Weaver continues to be without long term absentees Mark Oxley, Lewis Thomas and Rod McDonald.