Harry McKirdy did his chances of a breakthrough at Aston Villa no harm with a glorious strike in Crewe Alexandra’s League Two win against Newport County.
Crewe Alexandra are in a rather strange position of being able to field an effective strike partnership consisting of one player who failed badly at Aston Villa and another who is hoping for a big future in the Midland giants’ first-team.
Jordan Bowery failed to score a single goal after his £500,000 move from Chesterfield in the summer of 2012 and Harry McKirdy, who has joined the former Villa flop on a loan spell at Crewe, will be hoping to go one better in claret and blue.
The 20-year-old moved to the League Two side in January and, despite a record of just two goals in 12 games, has struck up an impressive understanding with Bowery – they both scored in Saturday’s 2-1 win away at Newport County.
And Crewe boss David Artell appears to be very impressed with the latest attacking talent to emerge from Aston Villa’s prosperous academy.
“Harry is a good player and he is a very good finisher. He is an all-action type of forward and works his socks off for the team,” Artell told the club’s official website of McKirdy, whose goal against County was a moment of sublime skill that Dennis Bergkamp would have been proud of.
“He is one of those annoying, nuisance types of a forward, who as a defender would get around your feet.
“He has a lot of ability to go with that work ethic and he is dangerous in and around the opposition penalty area. He took his goal really, really well at Newport and he is doing fine for us.”
McKirdy has not yet made his first-team debut for Villa despite notching six goals in 11 games in the Premier League 2 this season.
But the more he impresses at Crewe, the better his chances are of catching Steve Bruce’s eye.
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