Match ends, Crewe Alexandra 1, Stevenage 2.
CreweCrewe Alexandra1StevenageStevenage2
Stevenage held on for a win at Crewe in a game which saw visiting goalkeeper Jamie Jones and Alex striker Chris Dagnall sent off.
Jones and Dagnall were dismissed after an unseemly first-half tussle, with Dagnall catching Jones as he chased a through ball, with both players ending up sprawled in combat on the edge of the box.
Dagnall was shown two yellow cards by referee Darren England, while the injured Jones was issued a straight red and carried off on a stretcher.
Matt Godden had given Stevenage an early lead, the striker latching onto a short throw-in and volleying neatly into the far corner after his first effort was blocked by George Ray.
But Crewe - who could boast back-to-back home wins and a point on their travels from their last three outings - demonstrated their improvement under new boss Dave Artell as they piled on the pressure.
Jordan Bowery drove wide and defender Ben Nugent failed to get a close-range effort on target, instead helping the ball out of the Stevenage box. Jon Guthrie then volleyed wide after Callum Cooke's blast was blocked.
The game erupted between Dagnall and Jones in the 25th minute, with veteran keeper Chris Day coming off the bench to go between the posts for Boro.
Stevenage were undeterred as they doubled their lead in the 36th minute when defender Fraser Franks headed home after Luke Wilkinson had nodded the ball back across the box.
James Jones halved the deficit when he fired home from the spot in the 71st minute after Wilkinson tripped George Cooper but Stevenage held on for an eighth league success on their travels.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Line-ups
Crewe
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Garratt
- 2Turton
- 5Ray
- 6NugentBooked at 90mins
- 3GuthrieSubstituted forBakayogoat 45'minutes
- 24Cooke
- 8Jones
- 21WintleSubstituted forKiwomyaat 45'minutes
- 16Bowery
- 9DagnallBooked at 24mins
- 11Cooper
Substitutes
- 13Richards
- 14Bakayogo
- 18Bingham
- 20Kirk
- 22Kiwomya
- 23Ng
- 25Ainley
Stevenage
Formation 4-3-3
- 1JonesBooked at 25mins
- 5Franks
- 6Wilkinson
- 4King
- 20Ogilvie
- 11Pett
- 22LeeBooked at 59mins
- 18TongeSubstituted forDayat 27'minutes
- 7McAnuff
- 24GoddenSubstituted forGormanat 83'minutes
- 10McQuoidSubstituted forKennedyat 61'minutes
Substitutes
- 14Kennedy
- 16Day
- 17Gorman
- 23Cowans
- 26Hinds
- 33Ntlhe
- 35Loft
- Referee:
- Darren England
- Attendance:
- 3,547
Match Stats
Home TeamCreweAway TeamStevenage
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away3
- Corners
- Home8
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crewe Alexandra 1, Stevenage 2.
Post update
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Connor Ogilvie.
Post update
Oliver Turton (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jobi McAnuff (Stevenage).
Post update
George Ray (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Ben Kennedy (Stevenage).
Booking
Ben Nugent (Crewe Alexandra) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Alex Kiwomya (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by George Ray (Crewe Alexandra).
Post update
Ben Kennedy (Stevenage) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Callum Cooke (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Dale Gorman (Stevenage).
Post update
Attempt saved. Oliver Turton (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Luke Wilkinson.
Post update
George Ray (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ben Kennedy (Stevenage).
Post update
Zoumana Bakayogo (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Ben Kennedy (Stevenage).
Post update
Foul by Zoumana Bakayogo (Crewe Alexandra).
