Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Cardiff City - Match Comment


Finally gets the 31!

By Chris O'Brien
May 3 2003

Rivals, Bristol City will be the opponents over two legs in the Playoffs following a 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road this afternoon. Robert Earnshaw's second half equaliser was his 31st league goal of the campaign and broke a record lasting over 70 years. Cardiff City 1

Match Report

Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Cardiff City
Attendance: 9,562

The Bluebirds will face rivals, Bristol City in the semi-finals of the Playoffs following a 1-1 draw with promoted Crewe Alexandra this afternoon.

Robert Earnshaw ended an 8-game goal drought to equalise for the Bluebirds in the Second half. The goal broke the clubs league goalscoring record, held by Hughie Ferguson for over 70 years.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get to the game so here is the report courtesy of the BBC.

Match Report:

Crewe celebrated promotion while Robert Earnshaw's equaliser for Cardiff broke a club record.

Earnshaw scored his 31st league goal of the campaign to smash the previous record set by Hugh Ferguson in the 1920s.

The 64th-minute strike, which cancelled out Richard Walker's first-half header, was also the Bluebirds' first league goal in 432 minutes of play.

Alex fans turned out in force to celebrate promotion at the expense of City, who have been battling for the runners-up spot all season.

And Walker kick-started the party in the 44th minute of a dour first half when he rose to head home Kenny Lunt's corner.

The Bluebirds rested top-scorer Earnshaw and influential midfielder Graham Kavanagh ahead of their crucial play-off matches.

And former Middlesbrough striker Andy Campbell missed a golden chance to level matters seven minutes after the restart.

Kavanagh, introduced at half time along with Earnshaw, sent the striker clear with a clever chip.

But Campbell screwed his shot horribly wide with just keeper Clayton Ince to beat.

Earnshaw, however, came up trumps when he latched onto Peter Thorne's pass and rifled home his 35th goal of a prolific campaign.

Full Time Score - Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Cardiff City

The Line-Ups

Crewe Alexandra - Ince, Sodje, Foster, Walker, Vaughan, Lunt, Brammer, Sorvel, Rix, Hulse, Jones.
Subs: Bankole, Ashton, Jack, Bell, Oakes.

Cardiff City - Alexander, Weston, Prior, Barker, Croft, Boland, Whalley, Bonner, Gordon, Thorne, Campbell.
Subs: Kavanagh, Legg, Young, Earnshaw, Margetson.

Referee - R Pearson

Set as Homepage

Contact the Author

Add to Favourites

Bookmark or share this story with: