Crewe slump to defeat

First-half goals from Jim Bentley and Phil Jevons earned Morecambe a 2-1 win at Crewe.

It was Morecambe`s first win on the road and it dragged woeful Crewe to within six points of the drop zone.

Morecambe took a seventh-minute lead when Crewe goalkeeper Steve Philips failed to deal with Michael Twiss's inswinging corner and Bentley headed the ball through the static stopper's legs at the far post.

Minutes later another Twiss corner caused more confusion and Ashley Westwood had to clear Dave Artell's header off the line.

The Alex defence was guilty of ball-watching again as Jevons pulled Twiss's pass down, turned and lashed home a stunning strike in the 37th minute.

Shrimpers stopper Barry Roche produced two superb saves to deny Joel Grant and then Byron Moore before Alex skipper Mat Mitchel-King went close with an acrobatic overhead kick.

Crewe's best move of the match resulted in Moore netting only to be called offside while, at the other end, Jevons caught Phillips off his line from 45 yards but his shot hit the upright with the keeper nowhere to be seen.

Substitute Steven Schumacher nodded in Westwood's 78th-minute cross to offer Crewe a lifeline but the fightback never materialised.

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