Crewe Alexandra 2 : 1 Coventry - Alex claim much-needed win

Posted Sunday, October 12, 2014 by PA

Teenager George Cooper's eye-catching free-kick helped basement club Crewe to a 2-1 win against 10-man Coventry.

Cooper, 17, making his first start at Gresty Road, curled a left-footed effort into the top corner from inside the D to double Crewe's lead in the 32nd minute.

Loanee Febian Brandy had fired the Railwaymen in front seven minutes earlier when he raced onto an Oliver Turton pass and slid the ball under goalkeeper Ryan Allsop.

Coventry fought back after the break and Aaron Phillips had a close-range effort come back off the post before Crewe's Anthony Grant inadvertently diverted Danny Pugh's 48th-minute free-kick past his own keeper Ben Garratt.

The Sky Blues laid siege to the home goal. John Fleck went close with a volley but the hosts, who had conceded 29 times in their previous 11 games, held firm thanks to a sterling performance from Swansea loanee Alan Tate.

Brandy could have made the game safe with 10 minutes left when he broke clear but his angled drive flew straight at Allsop.

When he burst through again, Finch's desperate lunge earned the centre-half his second yellow card and Coventry were left to finish with 10 men.