Crewe Alexandra 2 Huddersfield Town 0

Last updated : 02 September 2006 By Footymad Previewer
Teen sensation Nicky Maynard bagged a brace as Crewe moved up the table with a comfortable win over Huddersfield.

The 19-year-old has now struck six goals in just four starts this term and is the latest shining prospect to fall off the Gresty Road conveyor belt.

But despite his two-goal show, Dario Gradi warned his Academy-grown youngster still has much to do before he can be talked of in the same breath as Dean Ashton and Rob Hulse, former Crewe forwards now plying their trade in the Premiership.

The Alex manager deployed an unusual sweeper system using the experience of veteran defender Neil Cox and Huddersfield hardly had a sniff.

Meanwhile, at the other end Maynard and fellow strikers Luke Varney and Rodney Jack terrorised some flimsy defending.

Crewe threatened from the start and Julien Baudet fired over after his initial free-kick cannoned back to him off the Town wall.

David Mirfin's mistake offered Jack a super chance to mark his return to Crewe with a goal, but the little West Indian sliced his shot wide from 15 yards.

But Varney came close when he burst forward into the box and fired for the bottom corner only to see Andy Holdsworth get a faint touch to take the ball around the foot of the post.

Matty Glennon came to the visitors rescue on more than one occasion, notably blocking Varney's angled drive.

Yet it was Huddersfield who should have gone in front and it needed a smart stop from home keeper Ben Williams, who held onto Andy Booth's shot from only ten yards out after Luke Beckett had played his partner in on goal.

Finally, Crewe's pressure was made to count with Maynard confidently firing under Glennon's body five minutes before the break after play was waved on when Nathan Clarke looked to have brought down Varney inside the box.

Billy Jones came close to opening the second period with a bang as he surged forward, brushed past one challenge and clattered a shot which Glennon did well to palm away.

Huddersfield were never at ease and they collapsed to hand Maynard his second in the 52nd minute. Mirfin and Nathan Clarke appeared to have blocked off the youngster, but he wriggled free and poked the ball home from close range before Glennon could react.

Moments later he was denied a hat-trick as he failed to get on the end of Gary Roberts' cross across the face of goal.

Jon Otsemobor almost capped a great Crewe display with a storming run which took him half the length of the pitch and ended with him clipping the ball a yard past the far post as the visiting defence faded away.