McAllister setback as Robins bow out
But unlike their first-round victory over Peterborough there was no comeback for the Robins against a determined and talented Crewe side.
Christian Ribeiro tore knee ligaments against Peterborough in the first round after the visitors had taken a shock lead and events were all too similar at the Alexandra Stadium last night.
Nicky Maynard and Dele Adebola received a hearty reception at their old stomping ground but were upstaged by Maynard's replacement, Anthony Elding, who gave the Railwaymen the lead two minutes after City left-back Jamie McAllister was carried from the field with a bruised shin.
Byron Moore doubled Crewe's advantage in the second half in an open game which could have ended in double figures for both sides. And though Brian Wilson pulled one back to give the Robins hope in the closing minutes it is Crewe, not City, who are in the hat with the big four in round three.
City have not made it to the third round of the Carling Cup for five years and Johnson had made a clear statement of intent in advance of this game to rectify that fact.
He named an unchanged line-up from the emphatic 3-0 win against Coventry at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday with the exception of restoring Chris Weale between the posts as promised.
City were immediately on the back foot though and captain Louis Carey was required to put his newly-stitched head back in where it hurts to defend two early corners.
Adebola had a clear chance to ensure City drew first blood after Carey and Co had withheld the hosts initial onslaught. But he fired his shot straight at Crewe keeper Steve Collis after being put clean through by an ever-industrious Lee Johnson.
City's bad luck with injuries continued, McAllister carried off on a stretcher midway through the first half. Fellow Scotland international Andy Webster replaced him with Liam Fontaine switching to left-back.
And Elding finished with aplomb with a curling right foot shot past Weale in the 24th minute after a fine interchange with fellow front-man Tom Pope. It was Elding's third goal in four games, proving there is life after Maynard at the Alexandra Stadium.
Michael McIndoe and Johnson both peppered the Crewe end with long range shots but, bar Adebola's early chance, Collis was not properly tested.
Against Peterborough, Carey and Steve Brooker saved City's blushes but Crewe had no intention of rolling over and came out after the break with even more attacking verve than they displayed in the first half.
In the 55th minute, Pope was played clean through but drew his shot just wide of the post.
Brooker was introduced to the fray five minutes later, Maynard had a goal ruled out for offside and McIndoe hit the bar.
Lee Johnson continued to orbit Skuse in central midfield, chasing anything to try and get City back in the game.
They increasingly dominated possession and became encamped in Crewe's half as the League One side tired. Maynard and Wilson almost engineered an equaliser with quarter of an hour to play but Wilson's shot from a tight angle was blocked by Collis and rebounded back off the right midfielder for a goal kick.
It just didn't look like City's day and as full backs Orr and Fontiane rampaged forward to feed the City attack there was always the danger of Crewe sucker punching them on the break.
To the horror of the travelling City faithful it happened. Byron Moore broke through, rode a challenge and dinked the ball over the advancing Weale to give Crewe a seemingly unassailable 2-0 lead.
Johnson threw on Lee Trundle in place of Skuse but it was Wilson who stepped up to give City a lifeline.
This City side has fight, and youth, and Wilson slammed home a 30-yard strike within seconds of the re-start to give the Robins hope of stealing an equaliser and forcing extra time. The chance came and went with Brooker stumbling in the box with the ball at his feet, unable to conjure the snap shot for which he has made his name in recent games.
City were off the pace and it has cost them a Carling Cup run.
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