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A fairly charged match against Crewe Alexandra at Platt Lane swung one way then the other as first half goals from Paul Clowes and Bradley Robinson were cancelled out in the second half and even fell behind briefly before Kim Skogsrud made an almost instant reply.

City knew that they may be up against things in the opening minute when Meppen-Walter made a fair challenge and the referee awarded the free kick for Crewe in a dangerous position.

Unusual for a Crewe side they started of using the ball over the top quite a few times to quite good effect as their number nine was getting quite a bit of joy in the gap between Kieran Kennedy and Kim Skogsrud and created quite a few half chances.

So it was slightly against the run of play that City took the lead in the eighteenth minute when Meppen-Walter swung an early cross in to the box from the left and the run of midfielder Paul Clowes between the two defenders allowed him to power his header into the back of the goal.

Three minute later and City had doubled their lead when Angel won the ball in midfield and turned well before feeding a good pass into George Evans who saw Bradley Robinson make a run on the right and he released a perfect pass for him to run onto and into the area before smashing a powerful low drive under the goalkeeper and into the back of the goal.

City very nearly took a three nil lead into the half time break when Harry Bunn held of the close attentions of the defender before running into the area and laying the ball back to Evans but his shot drifted slightly too high as it cannoned of the crossbar.

The start of the second half saw the visitors get a real foothold in the game as they started to dominate the play and that allowed more space in the midfield which they exploited in the fifty fourth minute when a ball through to their number nine beat a last ditch challenge by Meppen-Walter and he put the ball past Johansen in the goal.

City could have restored their two goal advantage in the sixty fourth minute when a corner was swung in that came to Kennedy but his strong header was cleared of the line.

A few minutes later rather than a two goal lead; City found themselves level when a run down the right the cross was centred in and volleyed in past Johansen into the back of the goal.

City were pushing for the winner and getting themselves in good positions and creating half chances but good not quite find a way through. Then in the eighty first minute substitute Alex Henshall produced some quality bit of skill to flick the ball over the fullback and tried to run down the wing but was pulled back and so quite rightly tried to pull his way forward but the inept referee awarded the free kick to Crewe and then booked Henshall for arguing.

The resulting free kick was sent up field and was not dealt with by City and Crewe were able to get in behind and lob the ball over Johansen and into the back of the goal. Crewe obviously celebrated what they thought was a winner.

City pushed forward from the restart and about an minute later won a corner. Henshall powered an inswinging cross to the far post that Kim Skogsrud rose well to head in off the defender.

City and all the fans thought that they had scored a fourth goal when Harry Bunn got the better of the defender on the edge of the area and he powered to goal and hit a shot past the Crewe goalkeeper but his shot hit the inside of the post and rolled along the goal line and was cleared off the line by the defender.

So the game finished all square when City created more chances and probably more of the easier ones; but again this City team has shown that they have a spirit not to get beaten. However the referee's performance certainly tried to change that statistic who will surely be marked down as he played no stoppage time in the first half and not sufficient in the second half given the injury and all the goal celebrations.

City: Johansen(GK), Morrisey, Meppen-Walter, Kennedy, K Skogsrud, Clowes, Drury, Evans, Bunn, Angel, Robinson(Henshall 65)

Subs: Lawlor(GK), T Skogsrud, King, Facey.

The 16's won 3-1