Prediction League Game 22; Crewe Alex (home)

[Div3North]

Accrington Stanley

V

Crewe Alexandra

Prediction League – Game 22; v Crewe (home)

Summer deals saw seven out, including John Braysford and James Bailey to Derby for a joint fee of about £1 million, Adam Legzdins to Burton (see last week) and Steven Schumacher to Bury (doesn’t he drive cars or something?); in came two keepers (Steve Phillips from Bristol Rovers, but while he’s recovering from shoulder surgery they signed Chelsea’s highly-rated reserve keeper Rhys Taylor on loan); 6-club defender David Artell arrived from Morecambe (he also played for Chester before that!); “attack-minded fullback” Danny Blanchett joined from Peterborough (loaned out to Hereford and AFC Wimbledon before being released last season); and ex-Crewe academy graduate Lee Bell who signed from Macc, now back where he began in 2002 – 2003.

They were relegated at the end of 2008/9 with 46 points, 4 from safety; by October that year, manager Gudjon Thordarson was history after 10 months in charge – a shorter tenure than Steve Holland, who lasted 16 months (July 07 to November 08); apart from those two periods, Dario Gradi has been manager since June 1983; (before him, other managers included Dennis Viollet (for 3 months in 1971) and Harry Gregg from Jan 75 to May 78 – how's that for a blast from the past?); last season they finished 18th – 15 wins, 55 points and a goal difference of -5 (3 places and 6 points below us). Nobody could say our games last season (the only times we’ve met since we came back up) were boring; a Friday Special at the end of September with a decent crowd on Fortress Crown saw us go 5-1 up before we took pity on them and let them have two more consolation goals late on (winning 5-3 our goals coming from Bobby Grant (2), Michael Symes (2) and Captain Proccie); we went back to Gresty Road at the end of April, and extended our run without a win to 9 games, going down to a right drubbing (5-1 , Bobby Grant scoring ours); two games, 14 goals ………. Hmmmmm!

Out of the Carling by 1-0 aet at home to Ipswich after a 1-0 First Round win over DerbyCounty, and the JPT at the Quarter Final stage 3-1 at Carlisle after a good win 4-2 at Macc in the round before; the FA Cup was an embarrassing shambles, beaten 2-1 in the First Round by non-league Tamworth. In the League their home record is P9 W3 D3 L3 F19 A10, away P10 W3 D5 L2 F21 A18; overall, P19 W6 D8 L5 F40 A28 Pts26 for 9th place and a +12 goal difference, the fifth best in the Division. Home highlights are the 7-0 pasting of Barnet and a 3-0 defeat of Bury; away, the 5-5 draw at Chesterfield and the recent 3-1 win at Gillingham. In 24 games they’ve hit the net 47 times, leading scorers being Clayton Donaldson with 11 and Shaun Miller with 8, followed by 20 year old midfielder Ashley Westwood with 5, and both striker Byron Moore and defender David Artell with 4 each; “star striker” Calvin Zola – who Crewe fans were saying last season at our place couldn’t hit the floor with his hat – got 17 last year, but this year has but a single goal in 5 starts and 2 sub appearances ….. Gradi says Zola “isn’t going anywhere” in the January transfer window, and with his current form that’s probably right!

The deadline for entries is, as ever, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3pm Boxing Day. Will it happen? If it does, will we share 7 goals? Will we share any goals? Back on form? Back in trouble? Too much Christmas pudding, or just playing like one? Post your guesses early for Christmas, Ladies and Gentlemen; “Dear Santa …………”

Happy Christmas everyone ………… and thanks for playing!

[VALAIRIAN]

24-v-7, To The Stanley please!!!!!!

[Grimps]

if on 2-2

[Redash]

3-1 to The Stanley, this will be the score whenever the game is played.

[cashman]

1-1 fer me whenever.

[jaysay]

2-2 for me please

[theresonlyoneaccy]

Stanley 0 Crewe 1
although I would expect it to be postponed

[waddy17]

Accrington Stanley 3
Crewe Alexandra 2

Cheers

[ukcowboy]

Stanley 4 Crew 2 as and when its played ........ Well it is the season of dreams lol.

[Div3North]

Originally Posted by VALAIRIAN

24-v-7, To The Stanley please!!!!!!

Have you been at the cooking sherry Val?

[VALAIRIAN]

Originally Posted by Div3North

Have you been at the cooking sherry Val?

Behave!!!!

Last game at The Crown should have finished that way!! So here's hoping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, I may change it when we play them...

[Outback Ozzy]

Match off so will provide prediction when game is eventually played

[Div3North]

Accrington Stanley

V

Crewe Alexandra

Prediction League – Game 22; v Crewe Alex (home)

Shaun Miller back from injury and Clayton Donaldson back from his 3 match suspension isn’t good news; they’ve got 28 goals between them, whereas their temporary replacements (AJ Leitch-Smith and the ‘reluctant to sign a new contract’ winger Byron Moore (14 goals in 140 games in 3 ½ years)) have only 9 between them ……….

Since the Boxing Day game was postponed, they’ve played 10 times, winning 5 and drawing one; their last seven games have resulted in wins at home over Port Vale and Bradford City, both by 2-1, and a draw at Gresty Road against Gillingham last time out (1-1), but four defeats in four away games (2-1 at Torquay, 3-2 at Aldershot, 6-2 at Northampton and 3-1 at Rotherham); they currently lie 9th on 42 points from their 29 games, but with 2 games in hand on the two sides above them – Oxford on 44 and Gillingham on 46.

They did little in the transfer window, except to loan Calvin Zola to Burton and to sign keeper Steve Phillips to the end of next season.

34 games in all competitions have resulted in 64 goals scored and 53 conceded; they’ve been involved in 6 games where 6 or more goals have been scored (7-0 at home to Barnet, 3-3 at home to Torquay, 5-5 at Chesterfield, 4-2 at Macclesfield, 3-3 at Stockport and 2-6 at Northampton), and they’ve had 14 different goal scorers; ex York City and Hibernian striker Clayton Donaldson has 16, home-grown strike partner Shaun Miller 12, Ashley Westwood and Byron Moore have 5 each, and AJ Leitch-Smith (who’s been with the club since he was 7, and doesn’t look much older now) and ex Morecambe and Chester defender David Artell both have 4. For us, Terry Gornell has 10, and “Red Card” McConville and Sunbeds have 7 each …………

The deadline for entries is, as ever, scheduled kick-off time, which is 7.45pm on Tuesday 22nd February. We haven’t won in 4; they’ve lost four consecutively on the road; we’ve had a 7-4 win, they’ve had 7-0, 5-5 and 2-6; good for a draw? Home banker? Moody away win? Last season, remember, it was 5-3 and 1-5 ....... If you want to change your original prediction, please feel free ……. If you haven’t guessed yet, now’s the time to do it ……….. Get your predictions down (if you’ll pardon the expression) ; go for it!

Good luck to everyone ………… and thanks for playing!

[norwich stanley]

1-1 draw for me please Div3North

[DAV007]

stanley 3 - 2 crewe