Substitute Shaun Miller nipped in to convert a late equaliser to salvage a point for the Railwaymen against a spirited Torquay United side. Miller latched onto a long ball from central half Harry Worley to beat goalkeeper Michael Poke to it before tapping home into an empty net. It was no more than Crewe deserved for their efforts after dominating the second period and having a headed goal from Calvin Zola chalked off for offside just moments after Miller's moment.
Central defender Danny O'Donnell and midfielder Ashley Westwood shook off niggling injuries sustained in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend to face Torquay United this evening.
O'Donnell recovered from a dead leg to partner Harry Worley at the heart of the Crewe Alexandra defence. Westwood hasn't suffered ligament damage to his ankle and was fit enough to retain his place in the centre of midfield. With those two regular players fit, Dario Gradi was able to name an unchanged side for one of the club's re-arranged fixture.
The match had earlier past a morning inspection. The South Cheshire weather had turned a blanket of snow and frost into heavy rain as we approached kick-off time.
The lively Chris Zebroski tested Steve Phillips early on but his shot was parried away from danger. From the rebound, Clayton Donaldson ran the length of the pitch to create half a chance for Joel Grant but his shot was deflected behind for a corner.
It didn't take Torquay's transfer window signing Zebroski too much longer though to open the scoring. After just 7 minutes, a drive from Danny Stevens was blocked by the foot of O'Donnell but deflected possession into the path of Zebroski, who curled a wonderful shot past Phillips.
Following on from a home defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend, the last thing Crewe needed was to concede an early goal and in the early passages of play, the Alex were over elaborating in their play, were hitting too many stray passes and were too often caught in possession. They would weather that early doubt to dominate the majority of the play.
After just 13 minutes, some more tidy play from the skilful Zebroski created an opening for his captain Nicky Wroe and his low drive struck the foot of the Crewe post. Crewe looked nervy and were struggling to make significant inroads into the Torquay half. With the visitors clearly on top, Danny Stevens had another goal bound effort blocked by Harry Worley.
The tenacious Ashley Westwood was trying to get Crewe going and after winning possession his quick and decisive release found Grant in space. His low drive was just wide of Michael Poke's right hand post. Some more encouraging build-up play involving Donaldson and Zola created a shooting opportunity for the supportive Steven Schumacher but he couldn't keep his shot down.
Crewe slowly but surely began to impose themselves on the proceedings. John Brayford just couldn't quite keep his header down from a Westwood corner and then Schumacher flicked a header just wide following a deep cross from left-back Matt Tootle.
On the half an hour mark, another Westwood delivery from a corner picked out O'Donnell but an advanced Clayton Donaldson couldn't apply a decisive touch to test Poke on his line.
Crewe were pressing looking for an equaliser and after another fine passing move, Zola nodded down a long ball from Westwood into the path of winger Grant, who quickly found Donaldson on the edge of the Torquay penalty area. He cleverly laid the ball into the path of Schumacher, whose shot was superbly blocked by Adam Smith.
A few minutes later, Walton slipped Brayford in behind the Torquay back line but the full-back couldn't keep his shot down. The full-back then did brilliantly on the by-line to create Crewe's best opening of the first half - but Zola's low shot from the edge of the six-yard box brushed the foot of the post and the foot of Kieran Charnock to deflect behind for a corner. It was the chance, the club's leading goal scorer had been crying out for.
With a couple of minutes of the half left, Crewe's target man tried to make amends for his earlier miss but headed a Donaldson cross too centrally to really trouble Poke in the Torquay goal.
Torquay made a change at the break with Sam Cox replacing Kieran Charnock. Crewe came out of the blocks quickly hoping to get on level terms as soon as possible. A clever nod down from Zola saw Brayford drive an early shot wide.
Torquay were on the back foot for much of the second half but offered moments of danger on the counter-attack. The lively Elliott Benyon had a shot deflected over by Matt Tootle before the diminutive Stevens headed a cross from Jake Thomson a yard wide.
Crewe were virtually camped in the Torquay half but found a wall of defiance from Paul Buckle's side. They deserve enormous credit for the way they defended. They blocked most things and the experienced Guy Branston was powerful in the air throughout.
Branston, on loan from Burton Albion, did have his rush of blood when conceding a free-kick on 66 minutes, but Schumacher curled his shot just over the top of the bar.
Torquay were not offering too much as an attacking force and Crewe always looked the most likely to add to the scoring in the second half, but it appeared that that elusive goal wasn't going to come. A clever dummy from Schumacher gave Westwood a sight of goal but the dragged his shot frustratingly wide of the target. It looked like being one of those games.
Dario tried to force the issue with substitutes. Miller and Murphy coming on for Donaldson and Grant. Byron Moore later replaced Simon Walton as Dario went for broke with a front four. Murphy had a shot blocked before Zola bravely collided with Westwood via a free-kick. Zola needed treatment after hitting Poke face on.
Crewe were desperately searching for an equaliser, but Zola, who had only just recovered from his knock tamely headed wide of the mark. He was closer via a Westwood corner and actually had it in the net with a minute left on the clock, but his 17th goal of the season was disallowed for an offside. It must have been tight.
That looked that until the busy Miller nipped in to reach a long ball forward from Worley in the second minute of stoppage time. The striker challenged Poke in the air and as the ball dropped kindly for him, he kept his composure to tap over the line to grab a point for the Railwaymen.
