Dario Gradi blasted his Crewe Alexandra side for lacking ambition after they conceded a second half equaliser to John Marshall and threw away a winning position against Fulham on the opening day of the season.
The Alex boss believed his side were in control of a contest that was short on quality once Mark Gardiner had rifled in the opening goal three minutes before the hour mark. The former Torquay midfielder beat Laurence Batty with a terrific strike after Andy Sussex had climbed highest to flick on a cross from Aidan Murphy. Both Gradi and the Gresty Road faithful waited for Crewe to put a flat Fulham to the sword but they couldn’t score a second goal.
Craig Hignett was denied by a brilliant save from Batty and Fulham grew in confidence as the second half went on. The sting in the tail arrived when Francis Joseph, released by Crewe at the end of last season, found John Marshall down the right flank and the midfielder shot past Dean Greygoose from a tight angle.
A furious Gradi told the press afterwards: “We lacked ambition. We were in control and Fulham were reduced to whacking long balls, which were getting them nowhere. They never looked like scoring. Perhaps it was due to inexperience, but we sat back on the edge of our box and thought we had the game won. Fulham showed a greater appetite for work. We were lazy and we sacrificed two points.”
CREWE ALEXANDRA: Greygoose; Callaghan, Smart, McKearney, Jones, Swain (Naylor 73), Gardiner, Walters, Murphy, Hignett, Sussex.
BOOKED: McKearney.
GOAL: Gardiner (57).
FULHAM: Batty; Eckhardt, G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Newson, Baker, Kelly, Skinner, Joseph, Milton (Cole 45). Sub (not used): Langley.
BOOKED: Eckhardt, Newson.
REFEREE: Keith Burge (Tonypandy).
GOAL: Marshall (75).
ATTENDANCE: 4,143.
