Coventry City 3 - 2 Crewe Alexandra

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Match report and key analysis as Jim O'Brien's strike ends Crewe hoodoo



The Sky Blues pulled two points clear at the head of the embryonic League One table after making it three wins in three starts.

In contrast to their runaway victories against Wigan and Millwall, they had to pull out all the stops for this one as jinx side Crewe threatened to puncture their early-season bubble by surviving a relentless first-half barrage to go in all-square at half-time.

But Jim O’Brien – a man who no longer wears the armband but is every inch an on-field leader – fired home a late winner before departing to a standing ovation from a jubilant Ricoh Arena crowd.

City carried on from where they left off at The Den, every bit as compelling in terms of possession and attacking enterprise, but although they conjured up 17 attempts in the first-half, they went in all-square as a rare goal by John Fleck was wiped out by a brilliant Brad Inman equaliser.

Passing and probing for gaps, it took them ten minutes to break down a stubborn Crewe defence but the chances inevitably started to stack up.

Maddison won a free-kick five yards outside the box and curled it just over the bar before Armstrong pulled a left-footer past the far post after an excellent build-up involving O’Brien and Stokes.

Ray then blocked Lameiras with a desperate sliding tackle but the resultant penalty produced the breakthrough as Maddison’s delivery was only cleared as far as the edge of the area where Fleck pounced to slash home a fierce left-foot volley – his fifth goal in over three years at the club.

The Sky Blues continued to batter the Railwaymen’s back line with Armstrong, Fleck, Maddison and Vincelot all trying their luck before the visitors belatedly made an attacking impression, Bingham wide with a low 20-yarder.

City were in total control at that stage, Garratt pulling off a sharp save from O’Brien’s angled drive while Maddison just cleared the top corer with a trademark bending shot.

But out of the blue Crewe hauled themselves level with the first league goal City have conceded this term – a individual special from Brad Inman who crowned a left-wing move with a superb curling shot from the angle of the area into the far corner.

The Sky Blues looked momentarily stunned but were soon back on the attack, Maddison somewhat suspeiciously muscled off the ball by Ray as he wriggled through a packed area, O’Brien again testing Garrett from 30 yards and Lameiras miscuing a good chance after he had won back the ball.

City were on their game from the start after the interval and seconds after O’Brien had fired wide from the edge of the box after being set up by Armstrong, the Newcastle youngster decided to go it alone – collecting Maddison’s pass and cutting inside to slot an immaculately controlled left-footer into the opposite corner.

The home supporters’ joyful chorus of ‘we are top of the league’ was cut off in mid-flow, however, as Crewe conjured up an equaliser inside two minutes. City’s defenders stood demanding an offside flag as Haver chested down Fox’s chip on the six-yard line in splendid isolation – reasonably enough as the big Canadian is hardly the quickest mover – but the officials gave him the go-ahead to beat the helplessly exposed Burge.

City produced another wave of attacks, O’Brien shooting into the side-netting from Armstrong’s exquisite back-heel lay-off before Garrett pulled off a point-blank block from Stokes after O’Brien and Murphy had combined to feed the marauding left-back.

Stokes had another effort charged down after more good work by Murphy before Garrett distinguished himself twice in quick succession, first shovelling Ricketts’s long-ball away from Armstrong and then plunging at Murphy’s feet.

But the keeper could do nothing in the 83rd minute as O’Brien, showing the sheer determination that had marked his man-of-the-match display, pounced on a half-clearance 25 yards out and thrashed his shot into the bottom corner.

Armstrong and Murphy might have added further goals in four minutes of overtime but City will be more than happy to head to Walsall on Saturday knowing that they have made their best start to a leafgue campaign since 1992.