Forest Green secure narrow victory over Crewe

Posted Sunday, December 23, 2018 by PA

Joseph Mills’ deflected strike earned Forest Green a narrow 1-0 victory over struggling Crewe Alexandra as Mark Cooper’s side jumped back into the play-offs.

Mills’ strike just before the break cannoned off Crewe captain George Ray to beat Ben Garratt all ends up.

Farrend Rawson denied Crewe a point with three minutes to go, clearing off the line from Jordan Bowery.

A free-flowing move almost brought the opener with two minutes of the first period left. Reuben Reid and Reece Brown played in Liam Shephard, but Nathan McGinley failed to get a clean connection.

A minute later and Rovers got their goal – Mills pulling the trigger from inside the box and deflecting off Ray and beyond Ben Garratt.

Crewe boss Dave Artell was booked on 53 minutes for offering the fourth official his spectacles when he hotly contested a decision to award Rovers a goal kick, when the Alex chief felt James Jones’s fizzer had been deflected for a corner.

Rovers were a whisker from a 67th minute second. Reuben Reid hit the post from just inside the box and substitute Dayle Grubb, with his first touch of the game, saw his follow up cleared off the line by Eddie Nolan.

Rawson denied Crewe a point as he scampered back to deny Bowery 87th minute parity.