Crewe  Alex Ladies U18s 1
Crosfield JFC 0

THE Alex u18s girls defeated top of the table Crosfield.

They started brightly pushing their opponents back early in the game.

This was to set the pattern for the match. The home side took the lead on eight minutes. Stand-in goal keeper Sophie Brooks took a free kick deep in the Crewe half.

The ball dropped over the Crosfield back line and was neatly controlled by Aimee Scragg who then slipped the ball side ways into the path of Becky Garner who planted a hard low shot wide of the keeper.

The Alex girls were in total control playing some neat football out from the back. Hannah Cunningham starting most moves from right back and linking well with the midfield. Rhiannon Graham was having a great game in midfield constantly cancelling out any Crosfiled advances. The Alex forwards created chances but were denied by an inform Crosfield keeper.

Shortly before half time Mary Turley was taken out by the keeper moving swiftly off her line to claim a ball in a 50/50 challenge.

The referee judged that the keeper took the ball fairly before the collision and therefore no penalty awarded. Mary was later to discover that she had suffered a broken elbow from the incident.

The second half continued much as the first with the Alex girls dominating possession but finding it difficult to create clear cut chances due to the determined defending in great numbers by their opponents.

The Alex girls superior fitness and passing was a key to their dominance.