27th October 2012
Yeovil Town made it five wins from six games when a Byron Webster goal on forty minutes was enough to defeat Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road this afternoon.
Webster’s strike, his second in three games after a seven year goal famine, earned Gary Johnson’s resurgent side all three points in a scrappy encounter that improved after the break but never really caught fire.
The manager won’t mind though as his side continue to climb the League One table and tonight sit in tenth place, just three points off the playoffs.
He decided to change nothing from the side that started the 3-1 win over Shrewsbury in midweek meaning that the most recent loan signing, Aston Villa midfielder Daniel Johnson, had to be content with a spot on the bench.
The first half was a very poor affair capped with a late Glovers goal on forty minutes. But what went before was instantly forgettable in a game that stuttered and spluttered and simply refused to light.
Chuks Aneke’s robust challenge on Webster on five minutes earned him a yellow card for a flailing arm but there was no real chances of note until a brief flurry between fifteen and twenty five minutes. Aneke and Byron Moore both went close while Paddy Madden netted for Yeovil but it was ruled out for offside and Joe Edwards shot way over with a dipping volley.
Home keeper Alan Martin easily fielded an Ed Upson long ranger but could do nothing about the winner when it came. Five minutes of the half remained when Upson floated a corner over that wasn’t cleared and Webster lashed the loose ball into the roof of the net.
Crewe came out a different side in the second half. Mathias Pogba shot over the crossbar then hit another shot straight at Marek Stech; Luke Murphy’s free kick was then caught by Stech as the Alex roared into the first five minutes after the interval. They then forced three corners in two minutes pressurising for the equaliser and Stech then denied Aneke with another good save.
It wasn’t one way traffic though. Keanu Marsh-Brown’s shot was always rising as it passed the crossbar and Martin had to rush off his line to deal with Madden’s break through from midfield. The Carlisle loanee then shot over the crossbar shortly after his partner up front, James Hayter, had been replaced by Daniel Johnson.
Crewe then turned the screw on their visitors in the last fifteen minutes. Aneke and Oliver Turton, making his debut, both shot narrowly wide and Byron Moore’s volley was saved by Stech down low at the narrow angle.
Dominic Blizzard came on for Marsh-Brown as the Town stated their intention to keep what they had although late on, Sam Foley curled a beauty with the outside of his boot just wide and both Madden and Johnson also missed narrowly.
The victory ensures that Johnson’s troops go into FA Cup battle next week against Preston with a good following wind behind them and every chance of pulling off a result against the Lilywhites.