As dawn breaks on the new league season, Crewe got off to the best possible start with a 3-1 win away from home against derby rivals Lower Maze.
Crewe got their league season off to the perfect start with a superb away win to local rivals Lower Maze. As the Glenavy men looked to put the disappointment of their Steel and Sons Cup exit behind them, they came out of the blocks early and looked confident in the early stages against an experienced Maze side.
The first break through came after ten minutes when Tommy Kempston held off two defenders and hammered the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle. Crewe were in control at this stage and began to press forward.
Crewe won a corner after twenty five minutes and the ball was cleared by the Maze defence but only as far as Marty McManus. The home goal keeper failed to hold his powerful shot and spilled it to the ever alert Conor McQuillan who slid the ball home to make it two nil.
Crewe’s back line of McStravick, Maye, McCarthy and Haggerty never looked in any trouble and new signing Dan McGonnell didn’t have a save of note to make in the first half.
Half time: 0-2
As the second half began Lower Maze pushed forward in search of a break through to put Crewe under pressure. The introduction of Jonny Banks for the Maze caused Crewe some problems as he began to pull the strings for the home side.
However on the hour mark a good ball in from the Crewe right saw Kempston rise above the Maze keeper and defender Ronan Gault to nod home for his second of the game.
Maze did not give up though and pulled one back after a mistake from McCarthy. They then put Crewe under pressure and McGonnell made a couple of good saves. The Crewe back line held firm though to seal the deserved 3 points and a great start to the league campaign.
Full time: 1-3
Team: McGonnell, McStravick, Maye, McCarthy, Haggerty, Coughlin, Black, McManus, Bingham (c), McQuillan, Kempston. Subs: Teague (80 for McQuillan), Kelly, Rushton
