Town went out of the Worthington Cup last night after drawing the home leg of their second round tie with Crewe Alexandra 1-1. The Alex go through after beating Town 2-1 at Gresty Road a week ago.

Town made a few changes from the side that lost to Birmingham at the weekend with Wayne Brown replacing Manu Thetis, Jim Magilton coming in for Jermaine Wright and Mick Stockwell in for Fabian Wilnis. The replaced players all dropped to the bench except Wilnis who is ill.

An understated game which was dominated from start to finish by Town but despite this they had only James Scowcroft's stunning 39th minute 20 yard strike to their credit. Scowy powered home after a neat knockdown from David Johnson.

Crewe had clearly come to sit on their lead and defend in depth. It was rare not to find them with ten men behind the ball.

A succession of excellent saves from Australian 'keeper Jason Kearton and the woodwork prevented chance after chance from hitting the Railwaymen's net (obligatory Crewe railway reference). Town showed such profligacy in front of goal that the Barnsley game only a few weeks back seems like a distant memory.

With the game seemingly heading for another half an hour Crewe scored with practically their first attack of the game. Jamie Clapham, still strangely out of sorts, lost possession halfway inside the Town half and Mark Rivers ran through to put past Richard Wright.

Another frustrating evening for Town and worries starting to surface after the excellent start the side we had made to the season. Manchester City on Sunday looks to be an ever more crucial game.

R Wright 7 Virtually nothing to do

Stockwell 8 Looked streets ahead of Wilnis

Brown 6 Not such a good performance

McGreal 7 Steady as ever

Venus 6 Not so comfortable on the right

Clapham 6 Like last year having a slow start to the season

Holland 6 Some woeful passing

Magilton 6 Still not at his best

Scowcroft 8 Once more Town's top man and a great goal

Johnson 7 Only a superb Kearton save stopped him scoring

Naylor 6 Not his best night

Photo: Action Images

patrickswell added 01:21 - Sep 22 Ah, what halcyon days these were. Another age indeed. World Trade Centre still standing; John Peel still alive; George Burley managing Town; Richard Wright actually playing matches....
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