Skipper David Norris was Town’s saviour once again as his extra time goal saw the Blues to a 1-0 Carling Cup victory over Crewe at Gresty Road. Norris struck in the 102nd minute to put Roy Keane’s side into the third round.

Town lined-up with Brian Murphy in goal, Troy Brown at right-back, Darren O’Dea on the left and Gareth McAuley and Tommy Smith in the centre. Luke Hyam continued behind Grant Leadbitter and David Norris in the midfield with Tamás Priskin the central striker and Shane O’Connor on the left and Carlos Edwards on the right. New signing Jason Scotland was amongst the subs.

The first chance of the game fell to the home side in the 11th minutes, Joel Grant sent in a cross from the left and Clayton Donaldson narrowly failed to make contact from six yards out. At the other end, Priskin forced Rhys Taylor into action but the Alex keeper claimed easily.

Town almost went in front in bizarre circumstances in the 20th minute when Matt Tootle cleared Priskin’s right-wing cross against his skipper Lee Bell and the ball flew only just wide of the post.

Alex keeper Taylor made a mess of Luke Hyam’s 25th minute 25-yard strike, fumbling the ball when he should have claimed comfortably and fortunate no Town player was following it in. Moments later, Grant Leadbitter was yellow carded by referee Paul Tierney for a late tackle on Ashley Westwood.

The lively Shane O’Connor shot over after a neat turn and run just before the half hour, but the Blues were still to create a clear-cut chance.

Town were unlucky not to go in front in the 37th minute when Carlos Edwards broke on the left, cut in and hit a powerful low strike, which beat Taylor but cannoned back off the post and away.

The Blues again came close two minutes later with the move of the half. Priskin held the ball up on halfway before backheeling to Leadbitter, who sent a pass into the path of O’Connor breaking towards the Crewe area on the Town left. The Irishman took the ball on a few strides before curling a right-footed shot just wide of Taylor’s left post.

Town were just about the better side in a not overly entertaining half. Certainly Roy Keane’s men had come closest to opening the scoring, first via Bell’s near own goal and later Edwards’s shot off the post, while the move leading to O’Connor’s shot towards the end deserved a goal.

New signing Jason Scotland was given his Blues debut at the start of the second half, taking over from Luke Hyam. The former Wigan man went into the centre of the front three with Priskin moving to the left. Grant Leadbitter took over in the holding role with Shane O’Connor taking up the former Sunderland man’s previous position.

The Blues almost went in front early on when Edwards sent in a cross from the right after a corner had been cleared and McAuley and Norris only narrowly failing to get a touch.

Leadbitter tried but failed to catch out keeper Taylor with a quick freekick as Town dominated the early stages. Soon after, Edwards almost got on to Leadbitter’s clever pass into the area, but Patrick Ada got back to dispossess the Trinidadian. The Blues continued to build the pressure and on 56 Leadbitter shot wide from the edge of the area.

Crewe almost went in front two minutes later when Grant was played in on the left and got in a low shot which Murphy saved. The ball ran loose in the area but McAuley got in first to clear the danger ahead of Clayton Donaldson and Shaun Miller.

Town switched Carlos Edwards and Darren O’Dea for Ronan Murray and Jaime Peters on the hour. Murray went to the right of the front three, while Peters took up the role previously occupied by Shane O’Connor, who went to left-back.

Skipper David Norris picked up his fourth booking of the season for a foul on Donaldson in the 63rd minute with the home side having got more into the game since Grant’s chance. Smith joined his captain in the book six minutes later, also for a foul on Donaldson, although the Town defender felt he had been fouled first.

On 70 Brian Murphy was quickly off his line to claim at Donaldson’s feet after he had been played in by strike partner Miller.

Crewe again went close in the 72nd minute when David Artell headed down a freekick from the left and Grant shot well over from 12 yards when he should have done better.

The home side were looking the more likely to score at this stage, but Norris wasn’t too far away from netting for Town when he diverted a long throw goalwards. Taylor got down to his left to save.

Priskin forced Taylor into a fine save from 25 yards, then O’Connor’s name was added to Mr Tierney’s book for a cynical foul on Donaldson as he broke.

Scotland diverted a Murray cross wide as the game moved into its final 10 minutes with the Blues getting back on top. Three minutes later, Murray shot wide.

Donaldson headed over, then with the last kick of normal time Miller hammered Donaldson’s cutback against the advancing Murphy with the Town defence having stopped thinking the ball had gone out and Smith missing his kick.

Moments later the whistle went to signal the Blues’ second period of extra time this season. The home side probably deserved to keep the scores level after a second half in which Town had started strongly but had lost their way. Crewe might even have won it had Grant in particular taken his chances.

Town boss Roy Keane was clearly unhappy with his players in the break, giving them what was probably their first serious dressing down of the season.

A minute-and-a-half into extra time Crewe again almost went in front when Byron Moore was found on the left from where he hit a powerful left-foot strike which Brian Murphy brilliantly tipped over the bar with his right hand. At the other end, Jason Scotland appealed for a penalty as he ran into a number of defenders but referee Tierney wasn’t interested.

Town had by now switched to 4-4-2 with Scotland and Priskin up front and Peters on the right and Murray on the left of midfield. A neat interchange between Scotland and Murray set up Priskin for a shot on the edge but Taylor saved.

The Blues were pushing for a goal and in the 100th minute Smith and then Norris both had shots bravely blocked.

Just over a minute later, the Blues were in front and again they had skipper David Norris to thank. Crewe failed to clear a corner as Smith tried to head goalwards and the ball fell kindly to the Town captain, who lashed in his fourth goal of the season and his third in the Carling Cup.

The Blues were looking the stronger of the two sides and just before the end of the first 15 minutes Norris shot wide from the 18-yard line.

Donaldson might have got his side back on terms soon after the restart but looped a bouncing ball over after Town had failed to clear.

Luke Murphy hit a well-struck shot straight at Brian Murphy in the fifth minute of the second period, then Priskin went just wide for the Blues. Keeper Murphy again did well moments later, coming off his line to claim at Moore’s feet.

Donaldson picked up Crewe’s first booking for a foul on O’Connor as time eventually ran out for the Railwaymen and Town were into round three.

Town eventually deserved the win, although they had to rely on one or two superb saves from Brian Murphy. Skipper David Norris was again the pick of the outfield players, while Smith and McAuley were their usual solid selves at the back.

New man Scotland had a decent enough game, almost creating himself a couple of opportunities but looks like he might need a few matches to get to full match sharpness.

Town boss Roy Keane will be pleased with Town’s fourth win in five and that the Blues’ unbeaten season continues, but may be concerned at his already stretched squad having played another 120 minutes ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Bristol City.

Town: Murphy, Brown, O’Dea (Peters 46), McAuley, Smith, Hyam (Scotland 46), Leadbitter, Norris, Edwards (Murray 60), O’Connor, Priskin. Unused: Fülöp, Eastman, Healy, Lambe. Att: 3,309 (Ipswich: 562).

Photo: Action Images

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