Simon Walton's spectacular strike sealed three great points for Crewe Alexandra this afternoon in what was comfortably one of the most entertaining games seen at Gresty Road this season. Walton's wonderfully struck goal on 68 minutes was worthy of winning any game at any level. The experienced midfielder pulled down a clearance on his chest before dispatching an unstoppable shot past Lumley. It was the on-loan midfielder's first goal for the club and his first since September 2006 when he was at Ipswich Town.
Walton's goal completed a memorable comeback from the Alex who had found themselves 2-1 down after our old foe Adebayo Akinfenwa had for once got round Harry Worley to put Northampton ahead on 56 minutes.
Ashley Westwood, who began at left-back would finish in central midfield and nearly went home with the match ball after scoring twice. He placed home a superb free-kick to give Crewe the lead after 15 minutes and then started and finished a fine move to equalise Ryan Gilligan's strike on the stroke of half-time.
Dario Gradi had the luxury of naming an unchanged starting line-up for the visit of Northampton Town. Leading goalscorer Calvin Zola and usual captain Mat Mitchel-King were still ruled out through injury, as with Steven Schumacher with his back complaint.
There was a change on the substitutes bench though with the club's newest signing Danny Gardner called up for the first-team squad for the first time. The former Celtic youngster signed until the end of the season on Monday, after becoming a free agent.
Captain on the day, John Brayford had the first effort of the afternoon when heading an early cross into the hands of Northampton's new on loan goalkeeper Billy Lumley. Shaun Miller also tested the reflexes of Lumley with a snap shot.
The deadlock was broken as early as the 15th minute after the tricky Joel Grant had been tripped on the edge of the box. Westwood made the visitors pay with a well-placed shot by Lumley for his third goal of the season.
Worley was soon in the wars with the powerful Akinfenwa, clutching his face after a clash inside the Crewe penalty area. Miller was also booked early on for a late lunge at Dean Beckwith after he had guided the ball back to his goalkeeper. It was a typical forward's tackle.
Luke Murphy was rather unfortunate not to double Crewe's advantage after a splendid move involving Bailey and Grant saw him thump a shot at Lumley. The Northampton keeper did well to get something behind it and Beckwith cleared the danger from the onrushing Miller.
After a promising start from the Alex, a confident Northampton began to impose themselves more on the game. They passed the ball well and always had a threat from the flanks. It became a really open affair with both sides taking turns to attack.
Crewe needed Steve Phillips on top form to save from Liam Davies and then the Alex goalkeeper needed Westwood on the post to complete a clearance following an almighty scramble at a corner. It was no wonder the youngster got a pat on the head from Worley for his positioning. Billy McKay also forced Phillips into a decent save when he went full stretch with Brayford.
The busy Crewe keeper would actually be the deserving recipient of the sponsors Man-of-the-Match award for his overall performance and he saved one of his finest saves of the afternoon to save brilliantly from Abdul Osman. The former Crewe trialist drove his effort from 30 yards through a crowded penalty area but Phillips watched it all the way to save one handed.
Crewe continued to look a threat going forward though and Moore shot over after being played in by Brayford.
Over the course of the first half a draw was probably a fair reflection and the visitors deservedly drew level on the stroke of half-time. Worley and Bailey battled for possession with Akinfenwa on the edge of the box and after it squirmed to Ryan Gilligan, the midfielder shot accurately past Phillips via the foot of the post. It was a perfectly placed shot.
The equalising goal on the stroke of half-time seemed to give Northampton a substantial lift as we kicked off for the second half. Northampton dominated the early proceedings and Crewe couldn't find way into their half of the pitch. There were too many stray passes from the Alex and we were well and truly on the back foot.
It was no real surprise then when Northampton made that pressure count on 56 minutes. Worley and O'Donnell had defended well all afternoon and had marshalled the obvious threat of Akinfenwa very well indeed. The one time Worley tripped and went to ground, the Northampton number 10 made us pay. He took the loose ball and curled it past Phillips from the edge of our box.
Crewe desperately needed to regroup and come again because we had started the second half very sluggish. Dario Gradi made an almost change, withdrawing Murphy for Matt Tootle and moving Westwood back onto the right of midfield. The move would inspire Crewe once again.
On 64 minutes, the influential Westwood would score a wonderful goal to draw us level. He had initially struck a poor free-kick into the first man to put Crewe on the defensive - but he willingly chased the length of the pitch to regain possession. He brushed Luke Gutteridge aside before sending Moore galloping down the wing but he continued his run into the opposition penalty area.
Moore cut in from the wing to feed Bailey and he quickly turned possession into the path of the overlapping Westwood, who drove home his second goal of the afternoon past Lumley.
Three minutes later Crewe took the lead through Walton's wonderfully strike shot from 30 yards out. Grant created the goal with a forceful run to the by-line and after his deep cross to the far post was headed out to the edge of the box; Walton confidently pulled it down before dispatching it past Lumley from 30 yards. It was a goal worthy of winning any game.
Ian Sampson tried to spur Northampton into life with a couple of substitutions, with the introduction of Courtney Herbert, Seb Harris and Alex Dyer and it so nearly paid off for them. The visitors may well have scored when Herbert's cross was headed on goal by Harris to cause an almighty scramble underneath the Crewe crossbar. Worley may have got a touch on it and to be fair to the officials it was really difficult to tell if the ball had crossed the line or not. Northampton certainly thought so.
Crewe also needed Phillips to produce his save of the afternoon after a Gutteridge free-kick had taken a wicked deflection off Bailey. Phillips somehow got his fingertips to turn it around for a corner.
Westwood nearly took home the match ball for what would have been a brilliant hat-trick but he couldn't quite turn his shot home at the far post after Moore's shot had been pushed away by Lumley.
It was real end-to-end stuff with Crewe looking to protecting their slim lead but also looking to finish the Cobblers off at the end. Substitute Clayton Donaldson had a late chance to seal the points after being sent clear by Bailey but his effort was well saved stopped by Lumley.
