David Artell has Crewe boxing clever with last-gasp win

Posted Sunday, December 13, 2020 by PA

Crewe boss David Artell was reaching for ringside metaphors after Ryan Wintle’s last-gasp winner against 10-man Northampton.

The midfielder slammed home in the fourth minute of added time to complete a 2-1 comeback win in front of 2,000 supporters at Gresty Road.

Northampton defended Ricky Holmes’ second-minute opener with some resolve, but Owen Dale’s equaliser and Joe Martin’s sending-off turned the contest in Crewe’s favour.

Artell said: “It was nothing more than we deserved as if that was a boxing match it would have been stopped after half an hour.

“Charlie Kirk could have had a couple and Ryan should have scored before he did. But it was a knockout punch on the bell that I hope will send the fans home extremely happy.

“It was fantastic to have them back and they were terrific. It’s been a long nine months without them.

“Our game plan didn’t go out of the window after their early goal, although it did make it difficult.

“But I thought we dominated the game and I can’t remember Will Jaaskelainen having to make a save. I don’t think the sending-off changed the game and I thought the pattern of the game was heading our way for a while before that.

“At half-time we certainly told the players they needed to be more effective and that showed in the second half.”

Despite dominating, Crewe were barely offered a sight of Steve Arnold’s goal by some solid visiting defending in a first half in which Cobblers skipper Cian Bolger was a prominent force.

Holmes scored his first goal since returning to Northampton last month when he stabbed home Sam Hoskins’ cross from the by-line.

But Martin’s 25th-minute booking for timewasting – when he was sizing up a free-kick deep in the Crewe half – proved to be a very costly mistake.

Dale, whose first-half angled drive was kept out by Arnold, drew Crewe level with his third goal in consecutive games.

Then Martin saw red after being pulled up for a foul on Luke Offord, leaving Northampton hanging on. Kirk drove a shot against the far post and Mikael Mandron headed against the crossbar.

But with time ticking away, Kirk pulled the ball back for Wintle to rifle in the winner.

Northampton boss Keith Curle spoke at length to referee John Busby afterwards about Martin’s sending-off and questioned the rules which means there can be no appeal against the full-back’s suspension, although the visitors were aggrieved by the timewasting card.

“We had a game plan and I thought for 35 to 40 minutes it was working very well. But Crewe moved us around the pitch before half-time and we settled back into a shape that made me feel uncomfortable,” said Curle.

“The sending-off disrupted us, but the attitude of the players was good and we didn’t throw the towel in. Their second goal was disappointing, though, as you think half-an-inch there and we are going to clear it.

“The referee did me the pleasure of talking to me and he gave me a full account, which I respect.”