<b>Full time Saturday September 1st</b> (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Full time Saturday September 1st

7:57pm Saturday 5th May 2007 in Football By Dave Wallis

Match report from the County Ground, Swindon

Coca Cola League One

Fulltime Swindon Town 1 Crewe Alexandra 1

Paul Sturrock's plans to strengthen his strike force finally paid dividends with the arrival of Billy Paynter and Simon Cox from Southend and Reading respectively, while Jon-Paul McGovern also came in from MK Dons to supplement the midfield, but all three signed on at the County Ground too late to be eligible for this afternoon's match against Crewe Alexandra.

For Dario Gradi and Steve Holland's team, a deal was signed on Thursday to bring Tottenham striker Lee Barnard to Gresty Road on a five month loan, but he was sidelined through a hamstring injury.

Sofiene Zaaboub started the brightest for Swindon when he floated a cross just over the visitors' bar after three minutes, after Blair Sturrock challenged a dropped cross from Alex's goalkeeper Ben Williams.

But the first flowing move of the game came after 13 minutes when Christian Roberts switched he ball from right wing to left to bring in Zaaboub. The Frenchman's cross was controlled by Sturrock, but Lee Peacock failed to make a clean connection in front of goal.

At the other end, Town defender Jerel Ifil's sliced clearance put his own goalkeeper in trouble, but Phil Smith recovered to shut down the resultant shooting opportunity.

Zaaboub continued to cause trouble down the left and in the 17th minute it was his cross that saw Craig Easton's shot blocked while Peacock fired over with the follow up.

It was another fumble from the Crewe keeper that brought a corner in the 24th minute, and from Christian Roberts' right sided set piece the ball fell to Michael Pook who drove powerfully home inside Williams' right hand post for the Swindon-born midfielder to give his side the lead.

A minute later, Sturrock just failed to connect after another Roberts' run as Town continued to press.

Then it was the turn of defender Hasney Aljofree to play an excellent ball to Roberts on the right. His ball into the box caused confusion but neither Sturrock nor Zaaboub was able to convert.

Lee Peacock was playing the target man's role well, and there were howls of protests when he was felled in the penalty box by Baudet, but referee Crossley was unimpressed.

Then with three minutes of the half remaining, the ball found it's way down the Crewe left wing. With Town's back four looking well marshalled, left back Jamie Vincent appeared to break ranks, allowing Steven Schumacher to steal the extra yard onside to crash home an unstoppable volley and level the match.

Halftime Swindon Town 1 Crewe Alexandra 1

Three minutes into the second half, Peacock volleyed well over the bar from six yards after good work from Jamie Vincent and Sturrock, and a minute later Jack Smith's ball released Roberts, who tricked his way into the box from the right wing to set up Sturrock. His shot was powerful but wide.

In the 69th minute, Peacock headed on a Vincent cross for Roberts to endanger the cars parked behind the Town End as the match began to lose some of it's earlier skill, then Roberts tried to make amends with a run from the right wing which cut the Welshman inside. This time his shot went wide.

The hard working Peacock had an arching header pass over the woodwork, then substitute Miguel Comminges' shot was deflected for a corner.

The usual flurry of substitutions on the hour had began to change the ebb and flow of the game, and Vincent was forced to hack clear after a dangerous looking mix-up around Town's goal. Then Chris Dickson, on for Shaun Miller, forced a full length save from Phil Smith in the Town goal after a terrible back pass from Comminges let the Crewe man in on goal.

Town pressed hard for the goal that would seal all three points, and goalscorer Pook, who had taken some criticism from the crowd since opening the scoring, had one shot blocked before he unleashed a pile driver from the rebound that looked destined for the top corner. Williams dived spectacularly to his left to ensure both teams left the pitch with a point.

Fulltime Swindon Town 1 Crewe Alexandra 1

Swindon Town: Phil Smith, Jack Smith, Jerel Ifil, Hasney Aljofree (capt), Jamie Vincent, Christian Roberts (Mohamed 86), Craig Easton, Michael Pook, Sofiene Zaaboub (Comminges 75), Lee Peacock, Blair Sturrock Arrieta 78), Subs: Peter Brezovan, Miguel Comminges, Ibon Arrieta, Kaid Mohamed, Ben Tozer

Crewe Alexandra: Ben Williams, Dan Woodards, Julien Baudet, Daniel O'Donnell, Billy Jones, Ryan Lowe (Rix 81), Neil Cox (capt), Steven Schumacher, Gary Roberts, Tom Pope (Bailey 81), Shaun Miller (Dickson 63), Subs: Ben Rix, Matthew Bailey, Nick Farquharson, Ryan Lynch, Chris Dickson

Attendance: 6,595

Referee: Phil Crossley