12/04/2008 - Yeovil 0, Crewe Alex 3
Gwyn Griffiths reports from Huish Park
YEOVIL TOWN 0
CREWE ALEX 3
(Maynard 7, 57, Pope 90)
Tom Pope's finishing touch to a vital win helped numb the lingering soreness in a broken toe.
But news of Port Vale's demise left the Potteries-based striker feeling sore for altogether different reasons at Huish Park.
Pope played through the pain barrier to help Crewe to a comprehensive win in Somerset, which lifts his side a potentially decisive three points clear of fourth-bottom Gillingham.
But in so doing it confirmed the relegation of his boyhood idols to football's basement tier and the 22-year-old striker admitted it had taken some of the shine off his afternoon's work.
"When I heard (about Vale's relegation) back in the dressing room afterwards I told the lads that has made my day a lot worse than it could have been," said the striker.
"I'm gutted for Vale and I really do hope they can bounce back. They have got a good enough squad and while they've got a few out of contract, hopefully they can sign a few players this summer and come back up to this division next year.
"As far as we are concerned if we can get three points against Cheltenham next Saturday I think that will more or less keep us up.
"But it is still tight down there and you look at Yeovil and they are going to struggle now as they have got three massive games coming up (Swansea, Leeds, Forest).
"We are looking at nine points from the three games left."
That is the sort of positive slant Steve Holland must have instilled in his players after the first-half debacle against Southend, for they were quick to strike against a Yeovil side who arguably may well have underestimated their potential to be sucked back into the mire.
It is unlikely Cheltenham - losers at home to Walsall and now just a point clear of Crewe - will be as lax, so we should be shaping up for a classic six-pointer at the Alexandra Stadium in five days' time.
A repeat of their defensive fortitude here and more of the same from Nicky Maynard and the finishing line preserving their League One status should be in sight whatever Gillingham do now.
But you never can tell what you are going to get from Crewe.
Pope's inclusion in the starting line-up, in preference to Dean Morgan, was just that sort of surprise.
But after the Alex medical staff gave the all-clear, Holland was glad to restore the ever-improving target man to his front line.
"I felt as soon as I could run freely I would make myself available," said Pope. "I had done some running during the week and although I'd only trained for two days I felt all right.
"The management took a chance with me and I hope it paid off.
"The toe is still a bit sore, but as long as I can keep running on it I will be all right.
"I was hobbling at one stage in the second half, but luckily I was caught on the other side of the foot so it wasn't too bad."
Pope almost made an immediate impression when he took Julien Baudet's high ball and volleyed for the bottom corner, only to find Steve Mildenhall blocking off the boost of a second-minute goal.
But the excellent Yeovil keeper was beaten all ends up by a brilliant finish from Maynard as Crewe did get the early goal they needed to settle their nerves five minutes later.
Pope was involved in the build-up with Steve Schumacher, which allowed Maynard the space to curl an angled shot around centre-half Terrell Forbes and in off the far post.
That was the prolific striker's eighth in the last six games, the most telling a contribution any of the relegation-haunted sides have been offered by one of their forwards.
"I had a bit of a bet with Nicky before the start of the season about who would get the most goals, but that's gone down the pan now," joked Pope.
"He's on fire. After my early effort went down the keeper's throat, he got a great finish which made us feel pretty comfortable.
"Although Lloyd Owusu was winning a few headers we defended well and deserved the win and the clean sheet."
Owusu's physique and the close control of Ipswich loanee Jamie Peters on the right flank were Crewe's main concerns as they defended meticulously in the first 45.
Ben Williams needed to beat out an Andy Kirk effort from curling in at the far post.
And the keeper did well to get a hand to left-back Nathan Smith's low drive.
But there were few signs of any repeats of the defensive catastrophes of the previous week. Mildenhall pushed out a near-post Pope header on the restart before Maynard got the decisive second with a real instinctive finish.
When Schumacher's lofted pass bounced beyond Terrell Forbes, the home centre-half was still favourite to clear, but the Crewe youngster made up ground and got his foot in first to clip a finish over Mildenhall.
When Joe Anyinsah wasted the chance of a third by shooting straight at the keeper it may have been costly had Owusu reduced the arrears on 74.
The former Brentford striker appeared to have applied a finish to Terry Skiverton's header as the ball came down off the woodwork, but erratic referee Russell Booth deemed it hadn't crossed the line.
Then when Owusu fell awkwardly, the Glovers were forced to see out the remaining 10 minutes with 10 men.
Crewe picked them off with ease, with Pope sealing his fine display by taking Anyinsah's unselfish pass and clipping the ball over the keeper.
Maynard, missing his hat-trick, and Roberts could have made the scoreline very flattering, but were denied by Mildenhall as they went through on goal twice in the closing minutes.
Pope, now with seven goals in 13 starts, admitted: "I was pleased to score as I got a poor first touch, but managed to get it over the keeper.
"I didn't expect to have played as much as I have done this season, but I have worked hard and hopefully I have given the side something different."
MATCH STATS
Goal attempts: Yeovil 12 (5 on target), Crewe17 (10 on target)
Referee: Russell Booth (Notts) 5
Attendance: 4,785
Cards: Yellow - Yeovil: Bircham (foul, 61). Crewe – None. Red: None.
Entertainment: 7
PLAYER RATINGS
WILLIAMS: Kept out early efforts from Kirk and Peters when Crewe needed to preserve their lead. 7
ABBEY: Solid display, although he did have his hands full with attacking left-back Smith. 7
BOYLE: Looked nervous at times, but recovered to prove an obstacle for Peters, Yeovil’s biggest attacking threat. 6
McCREADY: Far more authoritative display than against Southend. 7
BAUDET: Had his work cut out with the physical Owusu, but kept the former Reading striker relatively quiet. 7
LUNT: Got heavily involved and showed some quality. 7
SCHUMACHER: Best display since his return from injury, set up Maynard’s second. 8
ROBERTS: Heavily involved after some low-key recent efforts. 7
ANYINSAH: Didn’t look like scoring, but was a physical handful for Yeovil defence. 7
MAYNARD: Two brilliant finishes and could have had a hat-trick. 8
POPE: Held the ball up and got on the scoresheet on his surprise comeback. 7
SUBSTITUTES
O’DONNELL (for Anyinsah, 90): Replaced the tiring Anyinsah.
Not used: Moore, Morgan, Carrington, Fon Williams.
YEOVIL: 1 Mildenhall, 27 Peltier, 28 Smith, 5 Guyett, 6 Forbes, 26 Maher (33 Downes, 63), 20 Bircham, 16 Peters (32 Williams, 74), 24 Kirk (Skiverton, 63), 9 Owusu 10 Stewart. Subs (not used): 15 Bridcutt 13 Behcet.
Match stats
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