Stockport County 3-3 Crewe Alexandra aet
(Crewe win 4-2 on kicks from the penalty mark)
The FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON
Second Round Proper
Edgeley Park, Stockport County FC
Thursday 20 November 2008
Crewe Alexandra edged past Stockport County on penalties in an FA Youth Cup thriller at Edgeley Park on Thursday night.
The small crowd that braved the biting cold in the north-west were treated to a spectacular exhibition of youth football, with Crewe just managing to hold their nerve that crucial while longer to set up a tie with Carlisle United in Round Three.
The game was 2-2 after normal time and 3-3 after extra time before County missed two penalties in the shoot-out, allowing Crewe's Jon Stephens to ram home the winner.
The visitors made the better start and took the lead on nine minutes when Matt Lund headed home a Daniel Shelley cross, but County skipper Kyle Wilkie stepped up soon after to lead by example, shooting from 20 yards to equalise.
After the break, County took the advantage over their Cheshire rivals when Rick Ratcliffe volleyed a Tim Lawton cross high into the back of the net but a superb 25-yarder from the Alex's Ben Marshall again brought the sides level as the end approached.
A winner in normal time could not be found so extra-time was required and the action continued unabated during the additional 30 minutes.
Shelley was again in the thick of things for Crewe and scored a 40-yard wonder strike which looked like being enough to win the visitors the contest until an own goal by Matt Tootle with only a few minutes left forced the match into a shoot-out.
The dreaded penalties were required and although Crewe were deadly with their spot-kicks, County were not quite the same, missing two opportunities which then allowed Stephens to grab the glory for the Railwaymen.
Crewe Alexandra has been a byword for managerial stability for over a quarter of a century, but they parted company with manager Steve Holland in the week and youth team boss Neil Critchley was delighted with how his team concentrated on their own jobs and ignored the off-field uncertainties surrounding Gresty Road at the moment.
He said: "I am absolutely delighted to get through after the week we have had and with everything that has gone on at the club.
"I thought we deserved to win it in normal time and then again in extra-time but we couldn't find that goal.
"It is very pleasing to come through and I thought that the lads showed great character to do so."