Town extended their unbeaten run to seventeen games with a hard fought victory over Crewe at Gresty Road. Crewe old boy Jermaine Wright scored the Town winner in the 89th minute after Jamie Clapham and Paul Tait had scored the goals which put the sides level.
Town started with an unusual 4-4-2/4-3-3 formation and without new signing Marcus Stewart. Stewart was a victim of flu which meant a recall for Richard Naylor.
Town dropped Wayne Brown from the defence as loanee Michael Clegg started at right-back, Fabian Wilnis moved to left-back and Jamie Clapham played at the left of midfield. James Scowcroft played in a role that seemed to be at times in the midfield and at others up front.
A largely uneventful first half wasn't helped by a pitch like a ploughed field. Both sides, renowned for their slick passing, had great difficulty putting passes together.
Town came closest through a John McGreal header cleared off the line. A reaction rebound from the centre-half flew over the bar with the goal gaping.
Other than that several shots from Jim Magilton flew wide of the post and that was as close as we came. The half wasn't helped by the erratic refereeing of Kevin Lynch, a man well-known to Town fans. It was Lynch who gave a penalty to Town a few years back before changing his mind and giving a freekick to Norwich.
Lynch also endeared himself to Town fans at half-time during the game at Stockport last season with some gesturing towards our travelling army which appeared to be rather derogatory. On Saturday there were innumerable inexplicable freekicks with Jim Magilton becoming particularly agitated by the official.
Things had clearly not gone to plan for Town and at half-time the changed to a more orthodox 4-4-2. Off went Richard Naylor and on came Jermaine Wright. Up front went Scowcroft and into midfield went Wright.
Town immediately looked brighter and a goal didn't seem too far away. Several corners were forced and from one of these another header was cleared off the line.
Eventually the goal came. A ball forward from substitute Wright was knocked down by James Scowcroft and Jamie Clapham hammered home from 20 yards. Clapham's first league goal of the season was greeted with relief by the Town faithful who were beginning to worry that the goal wouldn't come.
Annoyingly the lead was short-lived. A freekick just outside the Town box towards the right was floated across the box where an unmarked Paul Tait headed home. It was a bitter blow for Town after fighting so hard for their goal.
Crewe then hit the post through Rodney Jack and it was beginning to look as if the Blues weren't going to capitalise on Manchester City's dropped points at Huddersfield the previous evening.
Then, just as we were accepting the single point, Jermaine Wright let fly with a scorcher from 25 yards out. The ball exoceted past Jason Kearton's right hand and into the corner of the net.
A minute later Lynch blew the whistle and another three points was in the bag. Not the greatest of performances, but another result ground out. Birmingham next week and another tough prospect.
R Wright 8 Did nothing wrong
Clegg 6 Got better after a shaky start
McGreal 7 Solid as ever
Mowbray 7 Good work in the air
Wilnis 7 Some important tackles and good work. An over all better performance from Fab
Holland 8 Tough-tackling
Magilton 7 A few decent passes on a difficult surface
Scowcroft 7 Set up first with header
Clapham 6 Not enough down left, but and excellent goal
Johnson 7 Good running, but still no goals. Confidence is clearly very lacking
Naylor 5 Not much went right (J Wright 46, 7 One of his best perfoances so far for Town and a great and important goal)