Pre-season Friendly

Whitchurch Alport 2

Crewe FC 2

WHITCHURCH Alport had to come from behind twice in this friendly against a side ranked two leagues below.

But with three former Alport players in their ranks, it added a little more spice to the contest.

The Reds certainly bossed the opening 45 minutes but were hit by a sucker punch before the interval.

Alport looked for an offside flag that never came and Jack Atkinson in goal had no chance of preventing his team from conceding.

His opposite number Krystian Burzinski was by far the busier of the two stoppers and he made a brilliant save to deny Dan Skelton, pushing the midfielder’s shot onto the bar with the slightest of touches. Unfortunately for him, Jud Ellis reacted quickest to the rebound within five minutes of the restart and parity was restored.

For the last half hour of the match it looked more like a next goal wins scenario with the ball going from one end to the other, and it made for a really entertaining spectacle.

Substitute Spencer Wash was desperately unlucky to see his curling effort hit the inside of the post, and Stu Dickin did well to clear off the line after Nathan Southern had rounded substitute keeper Matt Elson.

That should have kept Alport on their toes at the back, but they conceded possession and gave the Crewe striker the freedom of Shropshire to beat Ellson with four minutes left.

Alport enjoyed so much possession in the final third that it came as no surprise when Steve Jones nodded in a second equaliser from Sean Griffiths’ pinpoint cross.

Reds’ chief Luke Goddard was happy with what he had seen, and was particularly pleased to see the performance levels considering some regular players were absent.

“I thought at times that we played some lovely football,” he said.

“We had quite a few regulars missing but still managed to keep them on the back foot for much of the contest.

“On another day we win handsomely, but I’m sure the strikers will get firing sooner rather than later.”

Alport’s final pre-season friendly takes place on Friday away at Abbey Hulton United (kick-off 7.45pm).