REPORT: Crewe Alexandra 0-0 Cheltenham Town
Crewe Alexandra and Cheltenham Town played out a 0-0 draw in their SkyBet League Two fixture at Gresty Road.The Alex arguably edged the first half and went close a number of times, but just couldn’t find a way past Scott Brown.
It was a similar case after the interval as the Cheltenham goalkeeper was kept busy but stood firm to keep Crewe out, though The Robins did have a few chances late on to steal the win.
The point sees Cheltenham stay as they were in the table ahead of the trip to Luton on Tuesday.
It was Crewe who had the better of the opening 25 minutes of the game, but they were struggling to work Brown as the Cheltenham goalkeeper’s only real save came from George Cooper’s free kick.
Just before the half hour mark The Alex had a fantastic chance to take the lead when a corner was whipped in to Ben Nugent, but his header at the back post went into the side netting.
Minutes later they went close again after Charlie Kirk found himself with plenty of space inside the box, but his tame side-footed shot was straight at Brown.
10 minutes before half time The Robins then started to have a better spell, as a good move cumulated in Carl Winchester curling a shot from distance into the hands of Ben Garratt.
Cheltenham then had another chance five minutes later when Diego De Girolamo found some space on the edge of the box, but his powerful shot flew across goal and just wide of the post.
As the weather started to deteriorate in the minutes before the break, it was Crewe’s turn to have an opportunity as Oliver Turton hit his volley over from inside the box when he really should have done better.
And they started the second half where they ended the first, as on 50 minutes Jordan Bowery should have scored when his half volley from the penalty spot flew just over the bar.
Five minutes later Cheltenham were lucky to still be level as first Alex Kiwomya hit the post for Crewe, and then Cooper had his rebound saved by Brown.
Cooper then had another chance on 69 minutes as he hit a curling effort towards the top left corner that was somehow fantastically finger-tipped away by Brown.
Cheltenham were having some possession and hitting Crewe on the counter, but it was the home side who had the next big chance with 10 minutes to go as it took a last-ditch Alex Pike tackle to stop Alex Kiwomya from scoring.
With the final whistle looming Jordan Cranston put a wonderful cross straight onto the head of Kyle Wootton, but he couldn’t guide it anywhere other than over the bar.
Dan O’Shaughnessy also had a shot from close-range blocked in stoppage time, but it wasn’t to be for Gary Johnson’s men who return home with a point.
Crewe Alexandra: B Garratt, J Guthrie, G Ray, B Nugent, O Turton, J Jones, G Cooper, D Hollands (C), C Kirk (A Kiwomya, 53), C Daghall (D Udoh, 84), J Bowery.
Unused Subs: D Richards, Z Bakayogo, R Wintle, P Ng, O Dale.
Cheltenham Town: S Brown, E Onariase, W Boyle, D O’Shaughnessy, A Pike, J Rowe, H Pell (C), C Winchester (J Cranton, 58), B Waters, D Wright (K Wootton, 58), D De Girolamo (D Holman, 67).
Unused Subs: C Kitscha, J Barthram, K Storer, J Dayton.
Attendance: 3373 (210).