Match ends, Port Vale 1, Crewe Alexandra 3.
Port ValePort Vale1CreweCrewe Alexandra3
Crewe climbed back out of the League One relegation zone to dent Port Vale's play-off hopes with a derby win.
The Alex went ahead on 15 minutes when the home defence failed to clear a cross and Mathias Pogba forced the ball over the line from close range.
Chuks Aneke's second-half penalty, after Vale skipper Doug Loft had tripped Matt Tootle, and Brad Inman's low shot wrapped up Crewe's victory.
Tom Pope scored a consolation, heading in at the far post from a corner.
Crewe's victory, making amends for their 2-1 derby defeat by Vale at Gresty Road in November, lifted the visitors two points clear of the bottom four.
After an untimely run of just one win in six matches, Micky Adams' Vale remain 10th, now nine points adrift of the play-off places.
Vale centre-half Joe Davis, facing his father Steve and brother Harry for the first time, was substituted just after the half-hour mark.
Port Vale manager Micky Adams told BBC Radio Stoke:
"Joe Davis had been booked and he was lucky to stay on the pitch with the other tackle so I decided to take him off. Some people will say it is a bit harsh, but I make decisions. I am not afraid to make them. I have done that all my career.
"Crewe deserved their win, I can't deny them that. I hope they stay up. But I am disappointed with certain aspects of our performance. Defensively, we were bang average again and you can't be.
"You need people with cool heads to make the right decisions, particularly defensively. We didn't do that, so subsequently we have got punished."
Crewe Alexandra manager Steve Davistold BBC Radio Stoke:
"It is always a good feeling to win a derby game. Hopefully that will give everybody a lift. We wanted to play attacking football and the attitude of the players was superb. We stuck to the game plan. We played in the right areas, then stood up to the long balls in to the box when they came at the end.
"We didn't punish them enough in the first half and should have been further ahead but we got a goal at the start of the second half which was really important.
"Obviously they came at us again and got a header from a corner but, other than that, I can't really complain. I just felt that we had too much for them with our pace and power. I know that the players can perform at this level every week. If we can keep creating the chances we will be fine."
Line-ups
Port Vale
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Neal
- 2Yates
- 5DickinsonBooked at 82mins
- 18Lines
- 20GrimmerSubstituted forKnottat 56'minutes
- 17DavisBooked at 22minsSubstituted forTomlinat 33'minutes
- 7Loft
- 21Griffith
- 11Pope
- 39HugillSubstituted forMyrie-Williamsat 33'minutes
- 3Jones
Substitutes
- 8Dodds
- 9Myrie-Williams
- 10Tomlin
- 12Johnson
- 19Williamson
- 26Birchall
- 28Knott
Crewe
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 21GarrattBooked at 80mins
- 2Tootle
- 16Guthrie
- 22Evans
- 5Ellis
- 4Davis
- 11Moore
- 42Grant
- 9Pogba
- 26AnekeBooked at 74mins
- 14InmanBooked at 88mins
Substitutes
- 1Phillips
- 3Mellor
- 6Dugdale
- 8Osman
- 18Nolan
- 19Oliver
- 29Waters
- Referee:
- Roger East
- Attendance:
- 7,812
Match Stats
Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamCrewe
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away7
- Corners
- Home5
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Port Vale 1, Crewe Alexandra 3.
Post update
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Adam Yates.
Post update
Jennison Myrie-Williams (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Jon Guthrie (Crewe Alexandra).
Booking
Bradden Inman (Crewe Alexandra) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
Post update
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Chris Neal.
Post update
Foul by Doug Loft (Port Vale).
Post update
Matt Tootle (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Attempt missed. Bradden Inman (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right.
Booking
Carl Dickinson (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Gavin Tomlin (Port Vale).
Post update
Matt Tootle (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Anthony Griffith (Port Vale).
Post update
Chukwuemeka Aneke (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Ben Garratt (Crewe Alexandra) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
(Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).
Post update
Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Harry Davis.
Goal!
Goal! Port Vale 1, Crewe Alexandra 3. Tom Pope (Port Vale) header from the right side of the six yard box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Chris Lines with a cross.
