Tom Lowery’s goal four minutes from time saw already-relegated Crewe Alexandra to a 1-1 draw with the Blues at Gresty Road. Conor Chaplin’s goal just before the break had given Town a 1-0 half-time lead but the Blues were unable to find a second and Lowery’s fine late strike gave the Railwaymen a share of the points from an end-of-season dead rubber.

Town boss Kieran McKenna made four changes with Kane Vincent-Young, Joe Pigott, James Norwood and Dominic Thompson coming into the team, while a number of youngsters were included among the subs.

Wing-backs Wes Burns and Matt Penney missed out with knocks, while Pigott and Norwood came into the front three for Bersant Celina and Macauley Bonne, who dropped to the bench. Pigott was down the middle with Norwood behind him to his left and Chaplin to the right.

Keeper Nick Hayes, who rejoined the club in January, was in the 18 for the first time and is joined by midfielder Cameron Humphreys and forward Tawanda Chirewa, as well Elkan Baggott, who has been a regular in the squad in recent weeks.

Hayes, 23, has previously made one EFL Trophy appearance for Salford, while 18-year-old Humphreys has made one Carabao Cup start for the Blues plus two sub appearances, one in League One.

Chirewa, 18, has made one EFL Trophy sub appearance at Colchester in November 2019 when aged 16.

In windy conditions with patches of the pitch boggy due to overwatering ahead of kick-off, the Blues began on the front foot and created their first chance in the sixth minute.

Pigott cleverly turned into Chaplin’s path on the right of the box and the former Barnsley man crossed for Norwood at the near post but Billy Sass-Davies got his toe in to put it behind.

On 13, Tariq Umwakwe floated over a cross from the right towards Chris Long at the far post but Janoi Donacien headed it away.

Norwood was shown the game’s first yellow card a minute later for a late tackle on Luke Offord in the centre circle, although the Town striker appeared to make little if any contact.

Crewe came more into a game not played at the highest tempo, as might have been expected given it had nothing riding on it for either team, with the Blues having had sloppy moments when the ball was needlessly given away, however, with the home side looking little threat.

On 28, a poor clearance from Alex keeper David Richards fell to Tyreeq Bakinson, who quickly got it forward to Pigott in space outside the area but the former AFC Wimbledon man blazed over when he will feel he ought to have done better.

Three minutes later, Norwood tapped back to skipper Sam Morsy on the edge of the box and after working himself space, the Egyptian international struck a shot which deflected wide.

Vincent-Young was played in on the left of the box in the 32nd minute and cut the ball back but the danger was cleared. Moments later, Bakinson was booked for pulling back Ryan Alebiousu on the Crewe right.

Callum Ainley curled a shot straight at Christian Walton at one end, then at the other Bakinson played a ball forward for Norwood to chase. The striker reached it but was unable to put it past advancing keeper Richards, who blocked.

In the 37th minute, Offord got ahead of Norwood as the frontman sought to get on the end of a floated cross from the left, then for Crewe, Luke Murphy’s pass found Long in space on the left from where the forward shot into the empty seats in the stand behind the goal. It was an opportunity worthy of a better finish. Soon after, Thompson was booked for a foul on Uwakwe.

Bakinson hit a bouncing ball onto the front of the roof of the stand at the opposite end in the 42nd minute following Town’s sixth corner of the half.

As the half moved into one minute of added time, Long struck a shot on the turn which flew past Walton’s left post.

Moments before the whistle, Town took the lead. Luke Woolfenden played a ball over the top to the right, Vincent-Young used his pace to keep it in and cut it back towards the penalty spot for Chaplin, who shot across Richards - perhaps not catching it as cleanly as he might have done - and into the corner of the net, the forward’s 11th goal of the season and his second in two matches.

The Blues deserved their lead at the break having been the better side and having created most of the chances in a half which wasn’t always the most enthralling or played with the greatest intensity with the strong wind also having an impact.

Clear-cut opportunities had been rare but Vincent-Young had been a threat down the right throughout the half and did well to get the ball across to Chaplin, who once again showed how clinical he is when a chance falls to him inside the area.

Five minutes after the restart, Pigott nodded a Thompson cross from the left straight at Richards, Town having started the half the stronger.

Two minutes later, Chaplin found himself space 25 yards out before lashing a shot just over Richards’s cross-bar. Moments later, Crewe swapped Alebiosu for Oli Finney.

On 57, Town broke and Chaplin fed in Vincent-Young on the right of the box from where the former Colchester man hit a shot which was too close to Richards.

Almost immediately, Crewe would have levelled but for a brilliant Walton save. Long burst down the left past Chaplin and crossed for Mikael Mandron, whose header at the far post looked certain to be a goal until Walton somehow got across to his left to save it. Mandron’s rebound from a tight angle was hooked over.

As the game reached the hour mark, Tom Lowery was booked for a foul on Morsy on halfway, then the Railwaymen switched Murphy for Regan Griffiths.

Town weren’t too far away from a second when Chaplin sent a free-kick in from deep on the right to the far post from where Cameron Burgess knocked it across the box but too far in front of his team-mates.

Griffiths, who had only just come on and may well not have touched the ball, was yellow-carded for a foul on Pigott in the 65th minute.

The Blues made a double change on 70 with Celina and Idris El Mizouni replacing Pigott, who had made a lively start to the first half before drifting out of the game before having more impact again in the second, and Vincent-Young, who had shown glimpses of the player from his early days at the club.

El Mizouni took over at right wing-back, having been a full-back as an academy player, while Norwood moved into the number nine role.

On 73 Mandron was found in space in a promising area just inside the box but El Mizouni blocked his shot and his follow-up trundled well wide.

Two minutes later, following a long spell of Blues possession, Chaplin played in Norwood inside the area to the right but Richards stopped the former Tranmere frontman’s shot with his legs.

The game was an increasingly end-to-end affair with both sides having opportunities. On 78 Morsy struck a weak effort through to Richards, then four minutes later Long headed a cross from the right into the ground and to Walton. Zac Williams was injured in the incident and replaced by Bassala Sambou.

With four minutes left on the clock, the home side levelled. Woolfenden made a strong challenge on the right of the box but the ball ran out to Lowery 25 yards out from where the midfielder smashed a powerful shot which gave Walton no chance.

Crewe had had chances since the break with the Blues looking less solid at the back than has generally been the case.

Both sides went looking for a winner in five minutes of injury time, Bonne taking over from Chaplin for the final moments.

Seconds before the whistle, Sass-Davies flew into Celina’s shins just outside the area. The Kosovan’s free-kick struck the wall and Norwood was flagged offside after the on-loan Dijon man had nodded it back in.

A draw, Town’s eighth in their last 14 games, was probably a fair result on the balance of the second half.

While the Blues created chances, Crewe had had the better opportunities even prior to their well-taken goal with Walton’s save from Mandron as good as they come.

Once again Town were guilty of not killing off a game once they had secured a lead, something which manager McKenna is all too aware is something which will need to be rectified before next season.

The Blues, who have won one of their last seven, stay 11th with Charlton visiting Portman Road for the season’s final game next Saturday.

Crewe: Richards, Alebiosu (Finney 53), Offord, Long, Lowery, Ainley, Mandron, Murphy (c) (Griffiths 63), Sass-Davies, Williams (Sambou 85), Uwakwe. Unused: Jaaskelainen, O'Riordan, Tabiner, Kashket.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Vincent-Young (El Mizouni 70), Bakinson, Morsy (c), Thompson, Chaplin (Bonne 90), Norwood, Pigott (Celina 70). Unused: Hayes, Baggott, Humphreys, Chirewa. Referee: Simon Mather (Manchester). Att: 4,986 (Town: 1,280).

Photo: Pagepix

surgery added 18:09 - Apr 23 And that was really the point of my earlier post, if those two are an example of who he will recruit, will he sort it for a challenge next season? He reminds me of a Steve Copple type bloke. Very serious, seems to talk sense, with a furrowed brow. If anyone has read Simon Jordan's book, see his opinion of him
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ONENIL78 added 18:11 - Apr 23 Talking of beach,,,,hope we all off it...come july
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Pezzer added 18:11 - Apr 23 Any success this season, given the state of affairs when Cook left, was always going to be a bonus. I think McK's journey with ITFC starts once this season ends. Next year could be very exciting, new signings, new optimism and a new era, lets all hope so!
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Barty added 18:13 - Apr 23 Dear oh dear oh dear. We don't learn from our mistakes and that is bad
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planetblue_2011 added 18:13 - Apr 23 We are worse than last season looks like we will come 11th!! Why do Ipswich do it all the time just give up never play till the last game. They could give the fans some hope for next season, not with this result!! I'm a bit dubious of getting a season ticket now, will we be good enough for promotion? we seem to have a no fight team attitude season after season🙈🙈

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Radlett_blue added 18:19 - Apr 23 A complete waste of a dead rubber. OK - more evidence that Pigott is hopeless and should be let go. But why not give some of the youngsters some experience? Bringing on Celina as a sub with 20 minutes to go, rather than Humphreys FFS!
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Linkboy13 added 18:32 - Apr 23 Anyone know the way to Forrest Green. Sorry but that's the sad reality.
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Suffolkboy added 18:34 - Apr 23 It rather looks from almost all angles that BC possesses talent and skill, excites on the way but can't or doesn't deliver with goals or accuracy in the final third to build on the approach . He's worth keeping only if KM and Co believe he can be coached AND is willing and able to learn and apply the lessons . Unfortunately much the same critique might readily be applied to others in the squad . We go forward with great hopes , with enthusiasm and traditional loyalty and expectation ! COYB

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davidwyard added 18:41 - Apr 23 I have been watching town since 1967, and last year I didn't think it could get any worse, how wrong I was. 19 new arrivals probably only 6 of them are any good the rest of the newcomers are second rate players, the one shining light is Luke Woolfenden. Bobby Robson would turn in his grave if he could see this lot perform.
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TimmyH added 18:49 - Apr 23 We need a win against Charlton to end up with 1 point more than the 2020/21 season! - yes even with all those past it players in the starting line up which were moved on largely to Colchester, probability says we won't end up 9th the same as that season - really poor! makes you wonder if some of the players we got in last summer are as good as what we were made to believe? Remember when Lee Evans said in a post match interview 'we would get better and better?,,,thought that was laughable at the time.

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midastouch added 18:57 - Apr 23 Seems the Railwaymen had the ITFC sleeper train roll in and out of town today!
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brendenward35 added 19:00 - Apr 23 Let's be honest here this is McKennas first half season as a manager, we have one of the best coaches in league 1 but he needs time to learn the art of managing teams. He will know who he wants and who are not pulling their weight. As Ashton has said McKenna is very clever likes technology and you can bet he will be closely watching everyone of those players. Players will be changed to what McKenna wants get rid of the lazy ones and I'm sure Ashton will get business done very early. I'm confident McKenna will get us up to speed ready for next season.

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brendenward35 added 19:00 - Apr 23 Let's be honest here this is McKennas first half season as a manager, we have one of the best coaches in league 1 but he needs time to learn the art of managing teams. He will know who he wants and who are not pulling their weight. As Ashton has said McKenna is very clever likes technology and you can bet he will be closely watching everyone of those players. Players will be changed to what McKenna wants get rid of the lazy ones and I'm sure Ashton will get business done very early. I'm confident McKenna will get us up to speed ready for next season.

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scorpioblue added 19:01 - Apr 23 Again the season seems to have “fizzled out” despite the promises from McKenna and several players. Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't the expressions “ruthless” “aggression” and “clinical” mentioned several times over the last few weeks? Where is it? Do any of the players know what the terms mean? Surely for the last game next week all of these will appear in abundance for the loyal fan base and give us all that added sense of hope one optimism for next year. Gutted that we've conceded late again and it seems that bad habits have reappeared. Here's hoping for next week 🤞🤞 and for next season 🤞🤞 COYB

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Nobbysnuts added 19:13 - Apr 23 We are so far off getting promoted from league one it is staggering....championship??? Your having a laugh....poor team selection....Pigott knock a goal in??? He couldn't knock on a door. To many players and staff thinking about their holidays in dubai. Pathetic shower of p#ss.
4

jon_talbot56 added 19:48 - Apr 23 Another depressing afternoon. Lots of misplaced passes, no real penetration, a system the players do not have the talent to make effective etc. When the fans chant “ We never score from corners” and it doesn't change you really have to wonder what goes on in training. Crewe are a poor team but they created better chances in the second half when most of the back line went missing. We are so laboured and predictable. There is no pace, energy or invention.

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istanblue added 20:08 - Apr 23 Rubbish
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blueboy1981 added 20:44 - Apr 23 We have some very ‘accepting' Supporters at this Club, and seemingly blinded by the fact McK came from Man Utd - but that means nothing. Make no mistake, these Owners are in this for success - and McK will have to produce the goods next season, or certain heads will roll. In fairness, we have changed our game - BUT the Mid Table finish again means we haven't increased the points tally from previous failed and duly dispersed with - Managers !! Few people know what goes on behind the scenes, but I believe we have had far too many repeats of the same problems in games - on show once again today, and under McK from Man Utd … !!! A huge season ahead where success will be expected and mandatory …. !!! Remember - another mid table finish in DIVISION 3 - League 1 tends to make it sound better than it REALLY is.

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Stato added 21:38 - Apr 23 I wonder how many goals Chaplin has to score before Town fans take him to their hearts. He has given us so much more than Aluko and has also scored more than Celina and as many as Burns but McK rarely gives him 90 mins and most fans rate him behind Celina and Aluko from the comments on here each week. I think he is so much better than he gets credit for and my fear is that Pompey might tempt him back to the South Coast by giving him regular football and fans who still love him. Hope I'm wrong as he has all the ability to help us out of this league

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runningout added 21:39 - Apr 23 Crewe had lost 18 of its last 20 games before today. That is pretty poor considering our group of players is supposed to be up there. Until our squad is pulled down from it's fake pedestal and is willing to grab a reality check. We are going to be playing in League 1 for a few years yet. Sorry to be harsh!
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SoCalTownFan added 21:52 - Apr 23 McKenna's record, if extended across the whole season, leaves us more or less where we are now. Not in the playoffs, that's for sure. He might need more time and all the usual cliches apply, but he is not a wonder boy to date. Results under him have been pretty average and conceding a late goal to the bottom team, despite having the lions share of possession and attempts just about sums it up IMO.

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PMK added 22:20 - Apr 23 Points wise we are now further away from the play offs than when Cook left. That is fact. I like McK. The football has been decent. But we have drawn against most of the bottom teams in the last couple of months which has cost us huge. Any other of our previous managers would be getting dogs abuse for such results. Im sure he will be given time and a few of ‘his' signings will come in. I just hope we hit the ground running next season. Depending on who goes up this year and with derby coming down with likely new owners there could be some big clubs trying to get out of league 1 next year. Well done to all that went today. Very impressive. Let's hope the loyal support that's been shown this season is rewarded in the next.

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DavoIPB added 22:25 - Apr 23 Wow we all like to have a whinge and a moan don't we. last game we played brilliantly against the team top of the table. It was according to many championship standard. Can you really expect us to put in a decent performance against bottom of the table with nothing to play for.
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FrankMarshall added 23:01 - Apr 23 Poor game overall. Our goal came out of nowhere at the end of a very poor first half letting us go into the break 1 up. Felt the equaliser was always coming in the second half. Draw a fair result in the end.
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PinstripeBlue added 23:12 - Apr 23 My concern is that we are funded by an investment organisation. Please don't listen to the “we have no targets yet” that is really not true. As long as we are looking like a vehicle to make money, we'll be fine. But, when they think it's not working they will walk away. Hopefully we'll be in a better position than before they got involved.
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