Coventry City are waiting for their first League One win of the season...
Coventry City are waiting for their first League One win of the season with Max Clayton scoring for Crewe.
Richard Shaw only named one change from the win over Birmingham City in the Capital One Cup with Jordan Clarke coming in for Jordan Willis as his side looked to build on that win.
After a slow start to the game, it was Coventry who should have took the lead. Carl Baker, who praised his peformance against Birmingham as his 'best ever', found space in the area after the Crewe defence failed to clear an Adam Barton cross but he directed his free header over the bar in the 16th minute.
Despite having the best chance to score early on, Crewe made all the early running and deservedly went ahead in the 24th minute. A-jay Leitch-Smith did well to evade the challenge of Reece Brown before spreading it wide to Harry Bunn who crossed for Max Clayton to slide it under Joe Murphy.
Coventry struggled to find their rythem throughout the first half and could have found themselves further behind just past the half-hour. Steven Jennings conceded possession in the middle of the park to the impresssive Byran Moore and he fed Leitch-Smith just outside the area, but Murphy saved well.
Crewe continued to take advantage of Coventry's poor first-half as Harry Davis was found unmarked at the back-post from a Bunn corner but Murphy pulled out a brilliant save to keep City in the game just before half-time.
Caretaker boss Richard Shaw swtiched his side to a conventional 4-4-2 at half-time and it seemed to have the desired effect. In the 51st minute, Cody McDonald turned Baker's cross against bar and Stephen Elliott was unlucky not to turn in the rebound.
David McGoldrick came on for Cody McDonald and almost had an immediate effect when he received the ball on the left and after evading the challenge of Mark Ellis, his low cross was almost turned in by Elliot.
Despite City controlling the majority of the second half, they struggled to break down a resolute Crewe defence. Substitute Gary McSheffrey almost caught the Alan Martin off guard with a low long range effort in the 70th minute but the Crewe keeper did well to gather.
As the game wore on and Coventry struggled to get level, Crewe had their chances to extend their lead when Moore did well to get past Chris Hussey and his cross met Leitch-Smith who headed over the bar.
Reece Brown almost pulled City level in added time when the Crewe defence only half-cleared a McSheffrey and the loanee hit the ball on the volley but straight at Osman's face.
Teams
Coventry City: Murphy (GK), Clarke, Hussey, Edjenguele, Brown, Jennings (McSheffrey 67), Kilbane (c), Baker, Barton, McDonald (McGoldrick 60), Elliott.
Subs: Dunn (GK), Wood, Christie, McSheffrey, Ball, McGoldrick, O'Donovan.
Crewe Alexandra: Martin, Davis, Ellis, Clayton, Murphy, Leitch-Smith, Moore, Mellow, Robertson, Osman, Bunn.
Subs: Garratt (GK), Tootle, Dugdale, Turton, Guthrie, Daniels, West.
Attendance: 5738 (1548 Sky Blue Army)