Crewe leave it late to sink Swindon

Posted Sunday, April 30, 2023 by PA

Late goals from Conor Thomas and Joel Tabiner saw Crewe stage a late comeback to beat Swindon 2-1.

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy fired the Robins ahead just before the break at Gresty Road, but a dramatic finish saw Crewe hit back with two goals in four minutes.

Teenage goalkeeper Tom Booth, making his home debut, was rescued by the woodwork early on. Jake Cain curled a free-kick against the woodwork, then Jacob Wakeling thrashed the rebound against the underside of the crossbar.

The young keeper did well when pushing away a low drive from Hepburn-Murphy, but shortly afterwards the Swindon forward drove a fierce effort which deflected beyond Booth’s dive for Swindon’s 44th-minute opener.

Crewe had barely threatened in the first half apart from a wild effort from Chris Long and a vain appeal from Courtney Baker-Richardson after Swindon stopper Sol Brynn rushed out of his box to chest the ball clear.

But after the break, Brynn held onto Long’s rising drive as the home side came out of their shell.

Swindon substitute Tyrese Shade drew a good block from Booth with a rasping low drive.

Crewe levelled in the 82nd minute when Brynn could only push out substitute Lachlan Brook’s fierce drive, allowing Thomas a simple tap-in.

And four minutes later, Callum Ainley – another of manager Lee Bell’s second-half changes – supplied a teasing cross which Tabiner flicked superbly beyond Brynn and into the far corner.

Dan Agyei was close to adding a third, but his header was cleared off the line by Tom Clayton.