Forest Green held by Crewe as both miss out on chance to top table

Posted Wednesday, November 27, 2019 by PA

Forest Green and Crewe both missed the chance to top the Sky Bet League Two table as they fired blanks in a scoreless draw.

Third-placed Crewe dominated the ball for the opening three minutes, but it was Rovers in second who created an almost decisive opening just sixty seconds later.

Dom Bernard’s incisive run saw the darting Jack Aitchison blocked as he went to shoot inside the box.

Liam Kitching presented Chris Porter with an opportunity to nose the Alex ahead after 25 minutes. Porter chipped Joe Wollacott from the edge of the box but watched the ball drop wide.

Referee Charles Breakspear has dished out nine red cards and 68 yellow already this season and he made it 69 of the yellow variety on the cusp of the break, carding Rovers’ lunging defender Kitching.

Deep into first-half stoppage-time Crewe keeper Will Jaaskelainen did well to punch away Bernard’s close-range drive.

Crewe came close to taking the lead when Ryan Wintle’s 55th-minute shot from the edge of the box deflected onto the post after Perry Ng carved Rovers open.

Crewe’s Owen Dale planted a header wide with a minute to go as the game remained deadlocked.