Crewe Alexandra took to cheekily taunt Gary Neville after beating his Salford City side in the League Two opener on Saturday.
The Ammies co-owner was mocked as Salford fell to a 3-1 home defeat, Crewe took the lead with an own goal by Kadeem Harris, who equalised shortly after, but Conor Thomas’ brace before half-time secured the win for Crewe.
Neville, visibly disappointed in the stands, was taunted on social media by Crewe, who posted a picture of him holding up five fingers with the caption, “Nah it was three Gary.”
Speaking to SCFC TV after the game, Karl Robinson said: “Over the last 18 months we’ve built the very basic principles of how to defend crosses and how to track runners into the box. And today for us to be flippant in the goals that we conceded, they’re schoolboy goals. However, I know where the problems lie.
“Why was that the result? Individual errors when defending, and the collective in being so open on the transition of the football, and when you enter a team’s final third you become flippant on how you retain that.”
He also said: “The goals were preventable. I’ve spent a long time in there going through multiple aspects where we need to do better.
“When we defended as a team, we looked good, we looked compact and we looked difficult to beat. But the flippancy where we don’t stop crosses or don’t track people into the box – that is individual, and we’ve got to stamp it out very quickly.
“It wouldn’t be fair to come out here and say I have all the answers, it’s a learning curve for us.
“I’m disappointed because we got beat and because of the way we got beat – because how can you get out of any league if you’re not willing to run with your player in the box? Do you choose to leave them?
“We’ve got to keep the plan and keep the focus. I’m angry but I have clarity, and I’m not going to lose faith in them, because it’s just one game.”
Crewe boss Lee Bell said: “I think it was a good team performance with lots of energy out there.
“This is probably one of the toughest places you’re going to come. Salford are a really good team, and I expect them to be up and around it come the end of the season. But I’m really pleased with the players, and we’ve set high demands on them in terms of what we expect on the pitch, and we saw it through.
“It was a mad first 45 minutes, but we said we want to be exciting. When you get a penalty given against you after four minutes, you think: ‘Here we go again at Salford.’ But it was a brilliant save, Tom (Booth) had done his homework, and I think at half-time it could even have been 5-2 to us, really.
“We want to be exciting. We’ve got the energy on the pitch, but we know it’s just one game. We’ll quickly dissect it and move on to Monday.
“Football’s about winning, and we’ve got a way of which we want to try and implement. The energy the players showed on the pitch is key to that, and hopefully when we maintain that energy on the pitch, we’re going to give anyone a really good game.”
Here’s how fans reacted as Crewe cheekily taunt Gary Neville after beating Salford in Saturday’s League Two opener…
@stumpyspurs: Funny old game football. This week on TalkSPORT whilst on my driving round Salford City’s manager was on ‘boasting’ about Beckham & Neville taking over with US investors & the investment. Had to smile when I saw yesterday’s result. They got mullered at home by little old Crewe!
@AnthonyAshton1: I smile every time they lose.
@stumpyspurs: Likewise. Saw the highlights last night. Salford were given a pen early on for absolutely nothing. Very dodgy. Pissed Crewe right off. The keeper saved it & after that Crewe were wound up. 3 first half goals & should have had a couple more 2nd half.
@TylerBirtles: We are so back, love it Wadmin 🤣👏🏻
@cozby97: ‘It shouldve been at least how many Gary?’
@M_G_riffiths: That’s another Salford manager getting sacked
#CreweAlex https://t.co/y2jlsvmszw pic.twitter.com/tdb1f5yuvv
— Josh Ravenscroft (@Josh_CAFC_180) August 3, 2025
Back from Salford
Best away performance in 18 months
Loved doing the comms but would of loved to of been in that away end, it looked sensational #CreweAlex 25/26 up and fucking running pic.twitter.com/rs46O19Zjy
— Steve Davies (@StevieD1984) August 2, 2025
https://t.co/1S6hUIrzv4 pic.twitter.com/qDrYncJGlI
— Jakub (@Jakub_N17) August 2, 2025
FIRST ONE OF THE SEASON BABY #CreweAlex https://t.co/DAdzE2fxYH pic.twitter.com/SZYD8QHQfG
— Danny (@LDB_47) August 2, 2025
