Leon Clarke believes Crewe will have all the pressure in the JPT Area final...
Coventry City striker Leon Clarke believes that all the pressure is on Crewe Alexandra in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second leg Area final.
The in-form City striker is set to start against the Railwaymen having scored his sixth goal since joining the club against Bury at the weekend, and his 16th goal this season.
City has to turn around a 3-0 deficit from the first leg but Clarke believes Crewe are the side expected to progress, meaning the pressure is on them.
The 28-year old said: “Our away form is really good and maybe the advantage is with us being the away side as we can play either on the counter or press hard.
“I think all the pressure is on Crewe because they are expected to progress by many now with the lead they have. Maybe they will sit back or maybe they will come out so our own game can come through.
“It is difficult for them as it would be hard to judge what to do coming into the game. We had plenty of opportunities to score against them in the last leg.
“Sometimes it is just the rub of the green and we kept on pressing and pressing but didn’t get what we deserved. We have to make that right and we are confident.”
Clarke scored within the first three minutes at Gigg Lane on Saturday and he is hoping he can repeat the quick-fire goal against Crewe on Wednesday.
He added: “I think an early goal is massive. If we go ahead, they are a young team and it will put a bit of pressure on them.
“They are a really good young and talented squad but they don’t have much experience so they might just feel the pressure a bit if we go ahead.
“We know 3-0 is a difficult score-line to overturn but with the backing we are going to get from the fans, we will do our best to get it back.
“It will be a new experience for me but if we can turn it around, it would be a great one.”