Match Report: Florence Colliery 3 v 2 AFC Crewe

AFC Crewe kicked off their Staffordshire Senior League campaign with an enthralling encounter against Florence Colliers. But it was Florence Colliers who emerged victorious in the end, capitalising on some AFC Crewe errors and edging it 3-2 at the final whistle.

The match began with AFC Crewe dominating the proceedings, asserting their authority on the pitch. Their attacking prowess kept Florence Colliers' defense on their toes, creating several goal-scoring opportunities, which were wasted. The best came on 7 minutes, when some nice football saw Cole Ojungu cut one back to Ross Avies, but what looked like a bobble made the ball land harmlessly into the goalkeeper's arms.

However, in the 22nd minute, disaster struck for AFC Crewe. A poor pass back by Michael Sarpong to Burgess put him under pressure, and the opposition striker seized the opportunity, blocked the keeper's clearance, and the ball rebounded off him, hitting the post before rolling into the net. Against the run of play, Florence Colliers took an unexpected lead.

AFC Crewe responded almost immediately. In the 26th minute, Chris Holt delivered a fantastic deep cross from the left flank, which found its way to Aiden Brown, whose header beat the keeper on his near post to level the scores at 1-1.

Tempers began to flare as the intensity of the game rose. In the 30th minute, Aiden Brown let his frustration get the better of him, leading to dissent, earning him a yellow card, and a short stint in the sin bin. The numerical disadvantage didn't deter AFC Crewe and they continued to have the better of the game, despite lacking a little cutting edge in the final third.

Just before the halftime whistle though, AFC Crewe had a bad couple of minutes which essentially put this game out of reach. Just entering stoppage time (45+1), a routine cross from the right was poorly headed away, before the opposition striker hit a sweetly struck volley from 20 yards which found the back of the net, putting the hosts back ahead.

The drama didn't end there, as Florence Colliers struck again within a minute. AFC Crewe will be disappointed as Da Silva was outmuscled, leaving the Florence Colliers left-winger with enough space to float a perfect cross to the back post. The unmarked forward then headed the ball home, giving the hosts a two-goal advantage going into the second half.

After the break, AFC Crewe showcased their fighting spirit though. In the 50th minute, a brilliant run down the left wing by Cole Ojungu carved open Florence Colliers' defense. He delivered an accurate ball across the face of the goal, which was eventually bundled in from close range to make it 3-2.

Despite both teams creating further chances, no additional goals were scored in the remaining time. The match ended with Florence Colliers securing a victory over AFC Crewe, leaving the visitors to rue their missed opportunities as well as mistakes which gifted the opposition goals. AFC Crewe can take heart from their performance though, despite the defeat, and will look to bounce back in their upcoming matches in the Staffordshire Senior League.

Starting Lineup

GK - Charlie Burgess

RB - Stelvio Da Silva - 2

CB - Sam Marsh - 5

CB - Michael Sarpong - 6

LB - Declan Colclough - 16

CM - Olly Wilson - 22

CM - Chris Holt - 8

CAM - Cole Ojungu - 10

LW - Aaron McGrath - 21

ST - Ross Avies - 12

RW - Aiden Brown - 7