HOCKEY: VAGRANTS will go to Bolton on Saturday knowing the winners will go clear at the top of Division Two West, but they nearly threw away their shot at the summit against Wigan.
Crewe cruised into a 4-0 lead, playing some enterprising hockey against an experienced Wigan side at the weekend. With the contest seemingly all over early in the second half, more goals for the hosts looked on the cards.
But their complacency was punished as the resilient visitors scored three quickfire goals to set up a tense finale. Vagrants had to withstand a flurry of short corners at the death to preserve maximum points.
The hosts took the lead after 12 minutes. A splendid four-man move involving Gary Roberts, Dave Holland and James Capper ended with a cool finish from Andrew Ashworth.
Two minutes later Tim Alexander was flattened by the Wigan keeper, but he slipped a pass to Simon Trenbirth while falling and the former Alderley Edge man doubled the advantage. And in the 19th Steve Bourne set up Ashworth for 3-0.
Defenders Phil Morrant, Paddy Leese and Jon Woodhart stood firm as Wigan tried to hit back, and debutant goalkeeper Adam Shenton was called into action to make a sharp stop before the break.
The second half was just two minutes old when Capper and Henry Weir set up Bourne who finished well to make it 4-0, but three goals in seven minutes made it a nervy finish for the hosts.
Vagrants seconds overcame Alder-ley edge seconds 2-1 in a close encounter, while the thirds succumbed to a 5-2 defeat at Knutsford seconds. Neil Gibbons and Mike Fowles got the Crewe consolation goals.
The fourths also lost heavily to Alderley Edge, ending on the wrong end of a 5-1 scoreline. Jonathan Pinkney's strike made it 1-1 at the break, but a deluge of Edge goals did the damage in the second half.
