Crewe too good for Owls

Foster celebrates after scoring the winner for Crewe

Crewe 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday
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Goals from Ben Rix and Steve Foster ensured Crewe beat Sheffield Wednesday to secure a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Wednesday had beaten Crewe 1-0 in a dour Nationwide Division One fixture last Saturday.

But the FA Cup brought a reversal of fortune, with Dario Gradi's team edging an end-to-end encounter at Gresty Road.

Foster sealed the tie with a back-post header after out-jumping his marker to reach Kenny Lunt's 69th minute corner.

  Key moments

12 mins: Rix scores for Crewe

23 mins: Hamshaw equalises for Wednesday

69 mins: Foster scores Crewe's winner

The Alex had moved in front after just 12 minutes when 18-year-old debutant Ben Rix collected a cute Rodney Jack pass in the box.

He beat his marker and controlled with one touch before drilling the ball past Kevin Pressman.

Wednesday should have equalised shortly afterwards but Gerard Sibon, who scored the winner last Saturday, failed to hit the target after eluding the challenge of Efetobore Sodje.

Marlon Broomes was then denied by a one-handed save from Ade Bankole.

But the keeper was beaten in the 17th minute.

Sibon superbly picked out Matt Hamshaw, who got behind the Alex defence and flicked the ball over Bankole for the leveller.

At the other end Pressman used his feet to deny Rodney Jack and ensure Wednesday remained level at half-time.

"We made sloppy mistakes on both the goals

Terry Yorath
Sheffield Wednesday

Pressman was at his best again in the second half, tipping away a long-range David Wright drive.

But the keeper was lucky his mistake went unpunished after a mix-up in the heart of the Owls defence.

Pressman failed to collect a long ball and Hulse nipped in and looped a header over the stranded Pressman.

Fortunately for the Owls goalkeeper, Leigh Bromby was alert enough to dash back and hook the ball off his line.

We needed a win because we had some poor results

Dario Gradi
Crewe manager

After Foster headed the home side in front, Terry Yorath sent on Pablo Bonvin to add more firepower to his attack.

And the striker played his part in a sweeping move that ended with Paul McClaren hammering a drive against the post.

But it was Efan Ekoku's glaring miss in the last minute that will haunt Wednesday, with the striker firing over the bar from six yards.

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Crewe: Bankole, Wright, Foster, Sodje, Smith, Sorvel, Brammer (Thomas 77), Lunt, Rix (Ashton 83), Hulse, Jack.
Subs Not Used: Tomlinson, Little,: Sodje.

Sheff Wed: Pressman, Geary (Crane 90), Westwood, Bromby, Broomes, Hamshaw, McLaren, Haslam, Quinn (Bonvin 73), Ekoku, Sibon.
Subs Not Used: Stringer, O'Donnell, Maddix. Booked: Westwood, Geary.

Att: 6,271

Ref: G Laws (Whitley Bay)