Saturday January 15, 1972 - Division 4
Crewe Alexandra (0) 1 (East 90+1')
Southend Utd (1) 2 (Taylor 26', Johnson 87')
Venue: Gresty Road, Crewe.
KO: 3.00
Attendance: 1,577
Crewe Alexandra: E Adams, T Lowry, P Leigh, R Gater, D Rosser, H Riley, A Tewley, N Turner, K East, A Bradshaw, R Bird.
Southend Utd: J Roberts, R Ternent, A Smith, D Barnett, B Albeson, J Jacques, T Johnson, B Best, G Moore, D Elliott, P Taylor. Sub: G Duck.
Match Report
If United had lost this one at Gresty Road on Saturday they should have been hung, drawn and quartered! And I would suggest the same punishment for any team that lose there, writes Alf Smirk.
Crewe, without any doubt, were one of, if not the worst professional team I have ever seen. They had so little to offer that they are the only team I have heard booed on to the pitch before the game started and had to suffer this indignity most of the 90 minutes before being booed off at the finish.
United played it so cool and calm they always looked as though they could win and were content enough to be highly satisfied to do it by even the narrowest of margins.
The hypothetical petard upon which one is supposed to hoist himself was saved from manifestation only by a Terry Johnson goal three minutes from the end. It gave Blues a two-goals lead instead of one and Crewe hit back with a goal with practically the last kick of the game.
One feels depressed as soon as one leaves Crewe Station. The Gresty Road Ground does nothing to relieve the depression and the display of their team only confirmed it.
Without the services of the flu-bugged Bill Garner, manager Arthur Rowley introduced Dave Barnett in the middle line of a 4-3-3 formation to team up with Dave Elliott and Billy Best and switched Gary Moore into a striking role.
The fact that the means justified the end result Cannot be argued against. The final score line should never have been as close as it was.
Crewe were actually allowed to have more of the early play, but never looked like getting anywhere unless the United defenders had a rush of blood to the head. United, on the other hand, built up carefully if, at limes, somewhat laboriously, but always looked the more likely to score. This they did the first time they really had a go.
Alex Smith sent Elliott away on the wing in the 25th minute, and Elliott’s centre was headed against the bar by Moore. After a bit of a skirmish on the goal-line, Spud Taylor applied the finishing touch.
Crewe lived up to their reputation by squandering to fairly reasonable scoring chances before half-time, but United were never really put under any heavy pressure.
Elliott managed to get himself booked by Liverpool referee E.R. Garner shortly into the second half and must still be wondering why. He ran across a Crewe player to intercept and was then rightly penalised for obstruction. But if ever a free-kick was sufficient punishment, then this was one of those offences.
Only a few minutes earlier a Crewe player had hurled the ball at a linesman in disgust at a decision and got away with a lecture.
Best and Moore on two occasions livened up the United efforts and were quite near the target. Crewe’s only effort came from Alan Bradshaw and was capably dealt with by John Roberts.
The United clincher three minutes from the end came when Barnett back-headed a Taylor corner to the near post and Johnson had only to push the ball home.
The game had just gone its 90 minutes when Crewe spoiled United’s goal average. A short corner on the right was crossed by Peter Leigh and from a packed Blues’ goalmouth it as the foot of Keith
East which gave Crewe some slight consolation.
Two points were Invaluable to United and they came home happy, but Manager Rowley must have been anything but contented. When the build-ups came off Blues were working well, but far too many broke down in midfield when possession was lost at the crucial stage.
United’s successes were Ray Ternent; Best, in his new role in the middle who seemed to enjoy it; Elliott, who master-minded most of the system, and Moore, back up front who did a great stand-in job for Garner.
The game as a spectacle provided little entertainment for the 1,577 spectators. In sympathy with them I must admit I would much rather watch United every week than Crewe!
League Table
