Nicky Maynard celebrated his 50th league game for Crewe Alexandra by bagging in his first senior hat-trick for the club. Maynard is currently on fire and his treble took his tally to an extraordinary 11 goals in his last seven games. His recent run of form in front of goal has helped Crewe move up to 18th in the League table whilst reaching that usually needed 50 points mark. The Alex still need a point to be safe though and if they can collect that at Bournemouth next weekend then that could resolve the bottom four there and then.
Crewe desperately needed all three points this afternoon and Maynard in this sort of form, we began as favourites against Keith Downing's side. Maynard gave Crewe a deserved lead after just 14 minutes with a superb curling shot into the Cheltenham top corner and he has been unstoppable infront of goal over the last couple of months.
Cheltenham who needed the points as much as we do, grabbed a fine equaliser just after the hour mark with the impressive Steven Gillespie catching out Ben Williams with a clever chipped effort from the edge of the box. That goal could have changed the game back into the visitors favour, but just seven minutes later, Maynard got the ball out of a tight spot to fire home his second goal of the afternoon. He was there again to finally register his first treble for the club when Julien Baudet's header was saved on the goal line by Shane Higgs. He would leave the pitch late on to a standing ovation and had the matchball tucked under his arm.
Steve Holland named an unchanged starting line-up, with Patrick Boyle playing his final game for the club as his emergency loan from Everton expires this Sunday. Steve Jones was fit enough to resume his place in the squad, but it was still a little early to include the fit-again Neil Cox and Billy Jones, who both came through a squad game against Wolves last weekend.
It was the lively winger Gillespie who registered the first effort on goal in the opening couple of minutes but it wasn't quite accurate enough to trouble Ben Williams in the Alex goal. Almost immediately Maynard made his intentions known when he shot just wide of the target after being found by Joe Anyinsah.
It was an encouraging start to the afternoon with both sides prepared to take the initiative and attack. Some grafting from Steve Schumacher in the centre of midfield released Anyinsah and his cross nearly picked out Tom Pope inside a crowded box. His delivery was just intercepted by keeper Higgs.
It was fairly end-to-end stuff and the atmosphere inside the Alexandra Stadium set the scene for what was an exciting game of football. George Abbey flung himself into a challenge to deny Shane Duff before Maynard made his mark.
A flowing move on 14 minutes saw Maynard free the overlapping Boyle on the left and his pass into Kenny Lunt allowed the creative midfielder enough time to find Maynard inside the box. He still had a lot to do, but after adjusting his feet superbly, he curled it quite superbly past Higgs for this afternoon's opener.
Crewe were on top and pressing forward. Moments after Maynard's goal, he was denied an instant second after his low shot was saved by the legs of the onrushing Higgs. Schumacher did exceedingly well in the build up and hit a wonderful reverse pass into the forward.
Cheltenham had their moments too. Ben Williams had to claw out a Scott Brown corner that dipped violently under his own crossbar and then Ashley Vincent wasted a good opportunity with a tame header. Gillespie was always a threat and an ambitious chip had the Alex keeper scrambling back to save one-handed.
The football was neat and tidy. Another flowing move involving Pope, Maynard and Anyinsah nearly saw Crewe's in-form hit man reach another pass but the keeper rushed out to deny him at his feet. Even Julien Baudet tried to get in on the act but his long-range effort was wayward to say the least after he was allowed to carry into the Cheltenham half unoppossed.
As an entertaining half drew to a close, Crewe so nearly grabbed a second goal. Following on from another Kenny Lunt corner, Baudet saw his shot on the turn cleared off the line. He couldn't have come much closer to doubling Crewe advantage going into the interval. There was still time for the hard working Schumacher to force another half decent save from Higgs. The Cheltenham keeper did well to hold on as Pope rushed in case there was any spillage.
Cheltenham certainly came out in the second half hoping to get themselves back in the game. Gillespie had an early effort blocked on the edge of the box by Chris McCready, before Maynard so nearly picked out his strike partner Pope. Crewe then wasted two free-kicks with Baudet and Lunt missing the target.
Just after the half mark, Cheltenham conjured up a superb equaliser. Vincent was hurt in creating the opportunity for Gillespie, who turned McCready before chipping Williams from the edge of the Alex box. It gave the visitors an almighty lift because they would have settled for a point this afternoon.
It was evenly poised with both sides looking to go on and win the game and take an almighty step in securing League One status. Lunt dragged a shot wide of the target from 25 yards out before Maynard was there again to score his second goal of the match on 68 minutes. Pope made a nuisance of himself inside the box, before Schumacher rushed in to help out and poke the ball into the path of Maynard. He composed himself before firing low past the helpless Higgs.
Crewe had the upper hand and made sure of the points just eight minutes later. Lunt was against he provider from a corner, and although Baudet's powerful header looked to have crossed the line, Maynard was on hand to make absolutely certain. You cannot blame him either with his first hat-trick for the club.
That goal signalled a change with Dean Morgan coming on for Anyinsah. Cheltenham also brought on Michael D'Agostino for Scott Brown.
In the dying minutes, Ben Williams made a fantastic save to deny Gillespie on the volley. It was a wonderful stop that drew applause from the home and away supporters.
Jonah also made a late appearance for hero of the hour Maynard. He received a stand ovation for his afternoon's work. He thoroughly deserved it but so did the rest of the Alex team. With the pressure on, they delivered again.
