Preview: Crewe Alexandra v Fleetwood Town

1 April 2022

Fleetwood Town face Crewe Alexandra on Saturday 2 April at the Mornflake Stadium in Sky Bet League One, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 3pm kick-off in our match preview.

Fixture: Crewe Alexandra v Fleetwood Town

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Saturday 2 April 2022

Kick-off: 15:00

Venue: Mornflake Stadium, Gresty Road, Crewe, Cheshire, CW2 6EB

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FLEETWOOD TOWN

Town head into the upcoming fixture against the Railwaymen having not played a game in two weeks due to four players being out on international duty with their respected national teams.

A big story from the last week is Paddy Lane making his full debut for the Northern Ireland senior team against Hungary on Tuesday evening. He impressed fans and coaches alike for the 61 minutes he was on the pitch before being subbed off with captain Stephen Davis for George Saville and Stuart Dallas.

Carl Johnston and Barry Baggley were also out with Northern Ireland, but in the Under-21s set up with the former getting his first international goal against Slovakia and the latter coming off the bench on two occasions.

Another stand-out performer was Cian Hayes with the Republic of Ireland Under-19s as he managed to create three goals and even net his first-ever goal for the national side, in three games.

CREWE ALEXANDRA

Crewe will be looking to get back to winning ways after only winning two from their last 15 Sky Bet League One games as the Cods make the short trip to the Mornflake Stadium at the weekend.

In their last game, which was against Bolton Wanderers, almost held out with the score being 0-0 minutes before the end, but Bolton managed to find a way through with seconds to go through an Amadou Bakayoko strike.

Their last win came at the end of February and was an away clash against Cheltenham Town. They came out victorious at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium after taking the lead thanks to former-Cod Chris Long’s goal 18 minutes in, with Chris Porter making Kion Etete’s goal redundant seven minutes from time, earning them a 2-1 win.

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LAST THREE MEETINGS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES

Fixture: Fleetwood Town 3-0 Crewe Alexandra

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Saturday 16 October 2021

Venue: Highbury Stadium

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Fixture: Fleetwood Town 0-2 Crewe Alexandra

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Tuesday 20 April 2021

Venue: Highbury Stadium

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Fixture: Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Fleetwood Town

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Saturday 26 December 2020

Venue: Mornflake Stadium

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	Fleetwood Town	Draws	Crewe Alexandra
H2H results	4	3	2

PRE-MATCH QUOTES: STEPHEN CRAINEY

Head Coach Stephen Crainey sat down with the press on Thursday afternoon and previewed his side’s league fixture against Crewe Alexandra at the Mornflake Stadium. Here is what he had to say in his interview:

“It’s going to be a tough game; I’ve watched their last few games to see what their strengths and weaknesses are, as you do as a manager, and in they were right in the games against Wigan [Athletic] and Bolton [Wanderers]. There wasn’t much in either game and they ended up losing both so it’ll be tough, as every game is in League One.

“We’ve got eight cup finals that we are looking forward to and that run starts with a tough task against Crewe. They are in a similar position to us so they will be desperate for points and will be trying to win the game, much like ourselves, so we are under no illusions, it will be a tough game but one that we hope we can get three points from. You need to go and earn the right to go and win games of football and we will have to do that against Crewe.

“It was pleasing not having a fixture and looking at the table to see us stay on the right side of the line. We had a close eye on the games so, at five o’clock, we were pleased to stay out of it, and we know that it’s still in our own hands anyway. We’re confident we can win games of football from now until the end of the season and we want that run to start on Saturday.”

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Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Three goals and three points for Town in Crewe

2 April 2022

Fleetwood Town got back to winning ways on the road after their 3-1 win over Crewe Alexandra at the Mornflake Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Town took a first-half lead when Harvey Macadam headed home Harrison Biggins’ cross. However, the hosts responded through Chris Long, levelling the score just before the break.

A superb second-half display saw substitutes Anthony Pilkington and Ellis Harrison score the decisive goals to take the three points back to Highbury.

With the first chance of the game, Fleetwood opened the scoring when Biggins picked up the ball on the left-hand side. His in-swinging cross found the head of Macadam who headed into the far corner.

Soon after, the home side came close to finding an equaliser when Chris Porter received the ball inside the six-yard box from Callum Ainley - in what seemed to be an offside position. His effort called Alex Cairns into action who made a vital block from a tight angle.

With just under 10 minutes until half-time, Ainley tried his luck from range. However, his effort skewed way wide of the target.

Long continued Crewe’s push for an equaliser when he drove down the right, before firing a shot on the Fleetwood goal – Cairns was equal to the effort and got down quickly to parry wide. Porter headed the ball behind from the resulting corner.

At the other end, Town came close to doubling their lead when Cian Hayes fizzed a cross towards Ged Garner, who headed inches over the bar from the penalty spot.

Just before the break, Long levelled the score. His long-range effort curled into the back of the net past the outstretched Cairns.

The Railwaymen came close to taking an early second-half lead when Oli Finney met Tom Lowery’s cross, but his headed effort was over the bar.

Just before the hour mark, Biggins latched onto a misplaced header on the edge of the area. Unfortunately for Town, his effort couldn’t find the target.

The Cod Army were inches away from taking the lead when Paddy Lane picked up the ball on the right-wing. His perfectly placed cross picked out substitute Harrison, whose strike went just wide of the far post.

In the 63^rd minute, after a dangerous run into the area, Porter looked to give Crewe the lead, when he fired a low-driven shot towards goal. However, his effort could only find the gloves of the goalkeeper.

Two minutes later, Pilkington put Fleetwood ahead. Callum Camps’ cross from a deep position picked out the substitute, who peeled away from his man at the back post and nodded past David Richards.

With just over 15 minutes to play, Town doubled their lead when Pilkington unleashed a shot from the edge of the area. His strike forced the goalkeeper into action, but he could only parry the ball back into play. Harrison was alive to the loose ball and poked home Fleetwood’s third.

Ainley – Crewe’s bright spark throughout the game – looked to pull one back for his side. He tried to curl one into the top right corner, but Cairns pulled off a super save - tipping the ball over at full stretch.

With 87 minutes on the clock, all three substitutes linked up, Pilkington almost grabbed his second, and Town’s fourth. Harrison found Batty, who played Pilkington through on goal. This time, the goal scorers’ effort was saved by Richards who was quick to charge off his line.

Town XI: Cairns (GK), Jules, Clarke (C), Camps, Garner (Pilkington 59’), Johnson, Biggins (Batty 70’), Lane, Nsiala, Hayes (Harrison 59’), Macadam.

Unused subs: O’Hara (GK), Harrop, Butterworth, Baggley.

Crewe XI: Richards (GK), Offord, Long, Lowery, Porter, Ainley, Finney, Murphy (C) (Harper 78’), Johnson, Williams (O’Riordan 66’), Kashket (Sambou 66’.

Unused subs: Jaaskelainen (GK), Lundstram, Griffiths, Onyeka.

Attendance: 3,813 (244 away)

Match Reports

Ticket News

Support the Cods against Crewe this Saturday!

1 April 2022

Tickets and travel are still on sale for Fleetwood Town's Sky Bet League One clash against Crewe Alexandra on Saturday (3pm kick-off) so why not buy yours today!

Stephen Crainey’s side are back on the road for the first game in April as they are set to face the Railwaymen at the Mornflake Stadium.

In the reverse fixture this season, Town ended up beating them 3-0 at Highbury, with Callum Johnson, Danny Andrew, and Ged Garner getting on the score sheet that day.

*Please note, tickets will be going off sale at 4pm on Friday 1 April. If you miss this deadline, don’t worry as tickets will be available on the day from the away ticket office, with supporters being able to pay with either cash or card (no price increase on the day).*

Here are the prices for tickets and travel for Crewe away:

Tickets

Adults: £25

Seniors: £19

12–16-Year-Olds: £12

Under-12s: £7.50

Coach Travel

Coaches will be departing Highbury Stadium at 10:30am, costing only £5 for all Onward Card Holders and £15 for Non-Onward Card Holders. To purchase either coach travel, visit the club shop at Highbury Stadium or call 01253 775080.