Match report: Crewe 3 - 1 Huddersfield Town

Feb 23 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TOWN’S push for a play-off place was brought to a juddering halt as a revitalised Crewe side produced a performance that belied their current lowly ranking.

Seemingly revitalised under manager Gudjon Thordarson, Alex looked anything but relegation fodder as they produced an attacking display which found its reward when they plundered two goals in two minutes early in the second half.

Town had their moments and they were justifiably on terms at the interval, but in the second period they shuddered in the face of Crewe’s onslaught and found their own promptings and probings were all too easily snuffed out by the home defence.

The visitors went into the contest without Anthony Pilkington, taken ill on the eve of the game, but the subsequent reshuffle did not seem to cause any problems.

Lukas Jutkiewicz proved one of the big plus points as the on loan Evertonian ploughed a lone but often productive furrow up front.

And another gain for Town was the return of Andy Booth for a 25-minute spell as a substitute and the striker showed he is heading back to full fitness as he posed Alex’s Dennis Lawrence a number of problems in the closing stages.

The opening phase of the game saw Town control possession but it was Crewe who prised the early openings with keeper Alex Smithies having to react smartly to deny Byron Moore and then Town’s goal led a charmed life as Billy Jones’ cross caused consternation in the Town defence and, after a couple of efforts were blocked, Michael O’Connor slammed a fizzing shot against the crossbar before John Brayford fired over from the rebound.