Crewe Alexandra 1 Fleetwood Town 3: Cod Army finally rediscover the winning habit

Goals from substitutes Anthony Pilkington and Ellis Harrison, together with an opener from Harvey Macadam, handed them a comfortable victory over basement club Crewe Alexandra.

Most importantly it was a first win in two-and-a-half-months as they went two points clear of the dreaded drop zone.

Head coach Stephen Crainey made five changes from the team which drew against Doncaster Rovers last time out as the Cod Army went in search of their first win since mid-January.

Crewe were first to show, Scott Kashket whipping in a swerving cross which Toto Nsiala did well to cushion back to Alex Cairns.

The Cod Army mounted their first meaningful attack on eight minutes but Harrison Biggins’ downward header from Callum Camps’ corner was easily taken by home keeper Dave Richards.

Five minutes later, Richards was again called into action, collecting a looping Tom Clarke header from Camps’ free-kick.

Fleetwood’s positive approach reaped dividends as they opened the scoring on 19 minutes.

Cian Hayes won the ball on the left and, from his cross, Macadam rose highest with his firm header evading Richards and nestling in the right-hand corner of the home net.

The goal served to force the home side to greater effort and Fleetwood found themselves on the back foot.

Cairns saved well at his right-hand post from Chris Porter on the half-hour.

Then, three minutes before the break, Cairns got down again, this time to save a rasping low drive from Chris Long.

However, with the half-time tea being poured, Fleetwood allowed Long to cut in from the right and jink his way across the edge of the box.

The Crewe man continued unchallenged before unleashing a left-footed rising drive that left Cairns grasping at air before finding the top right corner.

Crewe picked up the same script for the second half, Cairns saving from Porter and then from Luke Murphy as the home side looked for only their second win in 15 matches.

As the pressure mounted, Nsiala blocked Porter’s low drive from the edge of the box on 50 minutes.

On the hour, Fleetwood made a double substitution with Pilkington replacing Hayes and Ellis Harrison on for Ged Garner.

Two minutes later, Harrison missed a golden opportunity to restore Fleetwood’s lead as he fired across goal when unmarked.

Fleetwood were not to be denied though and retook the lead not long afterwards.

On 64 minutes, Callum Johnson’s telling cross from the right was met by Pilkington whose glancing header flashed past Richards and into the far corner.

Eight minutes later, Richards palmed away Pilkington’s low shot but Harrison was first to react, sliding in to make it 3-1 to the delight of the 244 travelling fans.

Crewe kept plugging away but could find no way through a resolute Fleetwood defence well marshalled by Clarke and Nsiala.

Crewe Alexandra: Richards, Johnson, Williams (O’Riordan 76), Offord, Ainley, Murphy (Harper 75) , Lowery, Finney, Kashket (Sambou 65), Porter, Long. Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Lundstram, Griffiths, Onyeka.

Fleetwood Town: Cairns, Jules, Clarke, Nsiala, Johnson, Camps, Biggins (Batty 70), Lane, MacAdam, Hayes (Harrison 60), Garner (Pilkington 60). Subs not used: O’Hara, Harrop, Butterworth, Baggley.

Referee: Will Finnie.

Attendance: 3,813.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 per month for the first two months. Try us today by clicking here