Crewe Alexandra 2-1 Bristol City
Adam Baker reports from Gresty Road

City crashed out of the Carling Cup at the second round stage after Crewe Alexandra were victors by two goals to one at Gresty Road.

Goals from Anthony Elding and Byron Moore booked the home side their third round place and condemned City to a first defeat in 2008/09, despite a stunning strike from Brian Wilson to reduce the deficit late one.

City also lost another defender to injury in the game, with Jamie McAllister stretchered off after only 21 minutes with an ankle problem, giving Andy Webster another run-out from the bench.

Gary Johnson had resisted the temptation to change his ten outfield players, with the only change being Chris Weale's inclusion in goal for Adriano Basso.

It meant City lined up with an ex-Crewe front pairing of Dele Adebola and Nicky Maynard.

Cole Skuse's pass provided the first chance of the match on nine minutes, as Adebola steamed into the box on the end of his reverse ball and fired a shot straight at Steve Collis in the home goal.

Maynard quickly followed up that attempt with an effort on his own. Turning sharply on Michael McIndoe's cross, the club record signing had his low shot well held by Collis.

Elding offered a response for Crewe on 19 minutes, driving the ball narrowly over the top from an acute angle.

But after McAllister had departed, Elding made no mistake to give Crewe the lead. Beating the offside trap to latch on to a neat pass from Ben Pope, Elding picked his spot and beat Weale inside his far post.

Lee Johnson sent two long-range efforts over the bar as City tried to hit back quickly, but Weale was the next keeper tested - Pope warming his gloves with a stinging 20-yard attempt.

Then in first half stoppage time Johnson saw a shot blocked into the path of McIndoe, who skewed his effort over from a good position.

Dele Adebola battles against his former club in the cup

Joel Grant passed up a great opportunity to put Crewe two up seconds after the restart. A neat pass from Ben Rix set the winger clear down the left but his first time curling shot flashed inches wide of Weale's left-hand post.

But if Grant's miss was bad then Pope's on 53 minutes was gilt-edged. The striker was fortunate to get beyond Louis Carey via a richochet - which the City skipper felt had hit Pope's arm. Referee Andy Hall waved play on, allowing Pope a clear run on goal but just as Grant had done, he placed his attempt wide of the post.

Steve Brooker was introduced in place of Adebola just before the hour mark, with the latter leaving the pitch to a standing ovation from all sides of the ground.

But the chances kept coming for the home team, Grant missing the target again from close range under pressure from Carey.

Finally City rallied with Maynard seeing a goal chalked off for a marginal offside and then McIndoe clipped the top of the crossbar with an angled drive from 20 yards.

Moore looked to have ended the tie as a contest when he latched on to a pass from Grant and beat the advancing Weale for 2-0.

That goal came on 76 minutes, but less than three minutes later Wilson was afforded too much time and space to pick his spot from 30 yards his venomous drive flashed into the top corner to immediately reduce the deficit.

Late replacement Lee Trundle joined Brooker and Maynard in a desperate search for a late equaliser but it never came.