A rather crazy three minutes at Kenilworth Road saw Crewe concede two rapid goals to Rowan Vine and in the process have Stephen Foster sent-off for a professional foul. Up to that point, despite the home side's dominance in possession, the Alex had done a fairly good job in containing Mike Newell's side.
In the fog though, Vine side-footed a Showunmi cross to open the scoring on 69 minutes, before going down under Foster's challenge and converting the resultant penalty for a killer second just two minutes later.
Substitute Dean Morgan rubbed salt into our gapping wounds with a third with ten minutes remaining, before Luton's Leon Barnett indirectly nodded past his own keeper a mere consolation just two minutes later from a Kenny Lunt free-kick. That wasn't the end of the scoring though with Enoch Showunmi placing his first goal of the season to complete a frantic second half of scoring.
As expected Mark Rivers came into the side for the injured David Vaughan, who was ruled out with a back injury sustained in the 2-1 defeat to Stoke City at the weekend. That was the only alteration to the starting eleven that had remained unchanged over the last four matches.
Dario Gradi also selected an attack minded substitutes bench with Luke Varney, Luke Rodgers and Eddie Johnson all waiting in the wings, alongside reserve keeper Stuart Tomlinson and Adie Moses. Chris McCready and Justin Cochrane travelled as the spare men, which just goes to show the difficulties in trying to break into the Alex squad at the moment.
Despite the dense fog ascending onto the Kenilworth Road pitch, the Alex were given a welcome boost before kick off with the news that Luton's leading striker Steve Howard had been sent home prior to the kick off suffering from flu. Saying that his replacement Enoch Showunmi would tower over even Howard!
The home side had an early chance in the first minute with Wayne Feeney nearly collecting a Stephen Foster clearance in the opening minute, but the Northern Ireland fluffed his lines in front of Ben Williams. The same player then fired over the top on six minutes after a promising move down the Crewe right hand side.
Crewe Alexandra's first real attack nearly resulted in an early goal on seven minutes. After Kenny Lunt's corner was returned to him via the head of Foster, the captain's clever pass gave Gary Roberts the space to drill a cross into a crowded penalty area, and Rich Walker so nearly reached it at the far post.
The lively Feeney was always a good outlet in the early exchanges and he was only prevented from giving Luton an advantage by the referee's whistle, after he was adjudged to have felled the advancing Ben Williams. He was possibly a little reckless with his lunge at the ball, but the referee did well to award it considering the ball was loose inside the Alex box.
Both sides played some enterprising football but just lacked that quality pass into the forward players. Luton had looked the most likely, with their Trinidad and Tobago winger Carlos Edwards a threat with his pace.
Saying that Steve Jones created a chance for himself out of very little and was able to adjust mid-air to fire a volley straight at Marlon Beresford on 22 minutes, before Gary Roberts headed at the Luton keeper following a probing move from the Railwaymen.
In reply, Peter Holmes fired just wide of the post after being allowed to advance far too easily before a lack of communication between Walker and his goalkeeper Williams nearly allowed Enoch Showunmi to score the easiest goal of his career. Walker nodded it over his own keeper towards an empty goal, but the pace of Foster allowed him to retreat and diffuse the situation for his relieved team-mates. It had certainly been a left off.
Crewe always looked a threat from set-plays and Walker so nearly latched onto another Kenny Lunt ball-into-the-box on 27 minutes, following a slip from Leon Barnett inside a crowded penalty area. To be fair to the Crewe centre-half he would not have expected the ball to have reached him and he rather stubbed at the chance rather than apply the necessary contact needed to test the Luton keeper.
Whilst there was some entertaining football on display, with some fantastic long-range passing from both midfields, the fog, which continued to get considerable worse during the half made visibility rather tricky.
As the first 45 minutes drew to a close, the only real other effort of any note saw Steve Robinson test Williams' concentration from distance. A slight deflection off of Darren Moss hardly helped matters, but the Alex keeper dealt with it accordingly at the foot of his post.
During the half time interval, Adie Moses replaced full-back Anthony Tonkin, who seemed to be struggling with an injury towards the end of the first half. The versatile Moses slotted into the left-back birth.
Mike Higdon registered an early effort on target but his shot lacked any real power or direction to trouble Beresford. At the other end, Carlos Edwards saw his shot deflected over for a Luton corner after Showunmi had created half an opening for him.
Showunmi then turned creator again moments later laying an accurate cross onto the head of the supporting Holmes, but his header again lacked the necessary power to really call Williams into action. The save was more than comfortable.
Good approach play on 53 minutes nearly saw Higdon apply the finishing move to a purposeful passing move that had involved Lunt and his strike partner Steve Jones, but the final tempting cross into the danger zone just evaded his run.
Two minutes later and Edwards was rather unfortunate to see his low drive miss everyone inside a crowded penalty area, and then Williams' far post as Luton tried to make one of their numerous corners really count.
Showunmi headed a short corner worked between the alert Rowan Vine and captain Robinson straight at Williams as their corner count stretched to double figures. The crosses continued to reign into our box, but usually it was the heads of Foster and Walker getting their first.
In an attempt to add more zest to their forward line, Mike Newell decided to substitute Feeney for Dean Morgan. This allowed the former Grimsby Town striker Vine to push further forward in an attempt to break the deadlock.
Luton always looked the more likely side to score that opening goal, and a wicked deflection off the boot of Gary Roberts nearly caught out Ben Williams after Holmes got hold of a shot. The Alex keeper had it covered though and let it spin past his post.
On 64 minutes though, Steve Jones wasted a glorious chance for the Alex after good work in the air from Higdon. Jones found himself in space inside the six-yard box but blazed his effort over the bar from close range.
The skilful Edwards then forced a fine save from Williams, with half of the Kenilworth Road stadium thinking it had gone in. It must have been the fog! The only thing he obtained was yet another Luton corner.
The decisive break through eventually did arrive after 69 minutes. Showunmi outpaced Walker down the left touchline and crossed smartly for the grateful Vine to side foot home from seven yards. In fairness, it had been coming from the home side and their second was to follow soon after.
Between goals, Luke Varney replaced Mark Rivers, only for seconds later for Stephen Foster to be red carded for the third time in his Alex career after what the referee adjudged to have been a professional foul. Vine had gone down under his challenge as they both tried to reach the ball and there was genuine disbelief when the referee pointed to the spot.
Foster was ordered off and Vine dusted himself down to convert the spot kick. To cover the loss, Moses moved into the centre as Crewe went to three across the back.
Edwards nearly compelled our misery but drove his fierce shot into the side netting. Substitute Morgan added a third with ten minutes remaining to out us truly out of sight and you had to feel an enormous amount of sympathy for Ben Williams, who made an unbelievable save to deny his first effort. The rebound fell invitingly though for Morgan to nod into an empty net. That summed up our evening really& and for the 204 Alex fans who had braved the weather.
Crewe did grab a consolation goal a couple of minutes later though when Luton centre-back Leon Barnett touched home a Kenny Lunt free-kick past his own goalkeeper whislt under pressure from Billy Jones and Rich Walker. That had always been our best chance of scoring a goal on what turned out to be an instantly forgettable night for everyone connected with the Railwaymen.
That was because with two minutes remaining, Vine returned the favour for Showunmi for laying on a goal for his strike partner from close range. It was the towering striker's first goal of the season, and he so nearly grabbed his second just seconds later when his firm shot was deflected wide by the foot of Walker.
Crewe were thankful for the final whistle that was for sure...
Luton: Beresford, Foley, Heikkinen, Barnett, Underwood, Holmes, Showunmi, Robinson, Edwards, Vine (Brkovic 90), Feeney (Morgan 60).
Subs Not Used: Keane, Andrew, Brill.
Goals: Vine 69, 72 pen, Morgan 82, Showunmi 89. Crewe: Williams, Moss, Foster, Walker, Tonkin (Moses 45), Billy Jones, Lunt, Rivers (Varney 70), Gary Roberts, Steve Jones (Rodgers 83), Higdon.
Subs Not Used: Tomlinson, Johnson.
Sent Off: Foster (71).
Goals: Walker 83.
Att: 7,474
Ref: P Crossley (Kent).
