Crewe Alexandra vs Crawley Town LIVE commentary: Railwaymen and Reds meet at Wembley for League Two play-off final – kick-off time, team news and how to follow
Crewe Alexandra and Crawley Town come head-to-head this afternoon in the League Two play-off final, and it’s live on talkSPORT 2.
Both sides only just finished inside the top seven, but overcame two teams that finished higher than them to reach Wembley.
3
Crawley eased past MK DonsCredit: GettyCrewe pulled off a miraculous comeback in their play-off semi-final to overcome Doncaster Rovers.
The Railwaymen were trailing 2-0 from the first leg but managed to win the second match 2-0 to take the tie to penalties, which they duly won.
Meanwhile, Crawley smashed MK Dons 8-1 on aggregate, so they will head to Wembley feeling very confident.
Crewe vs Crawley: Date and how to followThe League Two play-off final for the 2023/24 season is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 18.
Read more on footballKick-off at Wembley is set for 1pm.
talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage from north London, with Faye Carruthers serving as your host.
Commentary will then come from Nigel Adderley and ex-Arsenal man Perry Groves.
talkSPORT.com will also have all the reaction from Wembley.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
3
Crewe stunned DoncasterCredit: GettyCrewe vs Crawley: Team newsLee Bell’s men will be without Luke Offord.
In his absence, Mickey Demetriou will continue to captain the side.
For Crawley, Danilo Orsi is almost certain to lead the line after bagging a hat-trick in the second leg against MK Dons.
Crewe vs Crawley: What has been said?Crewe manager Bell doesn’t want his players to see this as a big day out.
Most read in EFL
He said: “We let the players enjoy the win at Doncaster, but as soon as they get back in the building, they know it is time to work. We have to win a game of football now.
“They know this is a serious business. When they have to listen, take in messages and apply themselves properly, they have done and they will do.
“We’ve done some interviews, I don’t particularly like doing them, but that’s out of the way for us, and now, we can concentrate on doing what we have been doing all season.
“It’s a game of football, but we know what’s at stake. We have to do everything right. We have to plan properly, the training has to be right.
3
Crewe are determined to get promotedCredit: GettySalford City manager Karl Robinson explains why Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham AFC is like nothing seen in EFL due to their revenue streams
“Our week has to look how it normally looks in the week before a game.
“We’ll have a look around Wembley [on Friday] to get the lads who haven’t been there before used to it, but I don’t want to use the word ‘occasion’.
“It’s an occasion for the people going to watch – we are going there to work and to try to win a football match.”
Meanwhile, Scott Lindsey felt his side’s thrashing of MK Dons sent a clear message to those who felt his side didn’t have a chance.
He said: “I’m so proud, the supporters can enjoy a big day out at Wembley, but we can’t because it’s work for us.
“We’re going to go to work and prepare for a really good Crewe side, I back my players against any side at Wembley, we’ll get to work.
“I dedicate this win to everyone who doubted us.”
Crewe vs Crawley: Overcoming the oddsHeading into their respective play-off semi-finals, these two were massive underdogs.
Crewe played a team that hadn’t lost a game since March and, at one point, won ten consecutive league games.
After the first leg, the tie looked dead and buried as Crewe had to travel to Doncaster trailing by two goals, but they managed to turn it around.
Read More on talkSPORTMeanwhile, Crawley’s opponents finished the campaign fourth, scoring the fourth-most goals.
MK Dons were a force to be reckoned with, but the Reds blew them away.
