Crewe Alex 2, Huddersfield Town 0

Sep 4 2006 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

REMEMBER the name Ricky Maynard. The 19-year-old floored sloppy Town with a double at rain-lashed Gresty Road.

And if he maintains current form, he could well fire Dario Gradi's side straight back into the Championship, despite their shocking start to the season.

Maynard's goals on 41 and 53 minutes in Saturday's 12.15 kick-off were watched live by only 4,868 but will have impressed hundreds of thousands more watching Sky TV.

While admiring the striker's skill, strength and persistence, those same armchair viewers will have cringed at the quality of Town's slipshod defending.

Had it not been for some excellent goalkeeping from Matt Glennon, Town could have been staring at a far worse scoreline because Crewe tore them apart at times with extra pace, movement and creativity.

The back line simply couldn't handle Maynard, impressive Luke Varney and the experience of returning Rodney Jack, and it was sobering to see Peter Jackson's side opened up so easily after the splendid previous performance against Nottingham Forest.

Only one clean sheet in seven League and Cup matches is not really good enough and Town will have to tighten as a team if they are to return with a first away win of the season from Cheltenham on Saturday and improve their current mid-table position.

Having said that, Town did themselves and around 700 travelling fans no good whatsoever on Saturday by missing some decent chances in a bright opening half hour.

Danny Schofield and Gary Taylor-Fletcher both tested Ben Williams in the first six minutes, while Michael Collins and Andy Holdsworth both found space for breaks down the right, one leading to Town's best chance of the match.

That came on 32 mintues when Luke Beckett and Fletch challenged for a Holdsworth cross and the ball fell invitingly for Andy Booth just eight yards out.

The strike legend seemed certain to open his account for the season with a smart low drive but Williams was down smartly to his right to smother the danger.

Had that gone in, or indeed Schofield's raking drive shortly afterwards, then Town might have grown in confidence and prospered, but it was Crewe who got the all-important lift just four minutes before half time.

Town will be angry that both goals conceded came from long clearances by Williams -- their defending being far too weak on each occasion.