The Chronicle

Crewe Alex started 2018 in perfect fashion with a comfortable home win over Grimsby on Monday.

Chris Porter’s 11th of the season and Brad Walker’s rocket gave them a well-deserved two-goal cushion at the break, and they never looked in danger of throwing it away.

The success, combined with favourable results elsewhere, has lifted them to 19th in League Two – and more importantly nine points clear of the drop zone.

And with a free weekend coming up, the players and staff will be able to enjoy the time off as the transfer window activity begins to pick up.

The Alex had ended 2017 in disappointing fashion with a 3-1 loss at Cambridge United, and were looking to start a new year with a victory for the first time since 2014-15.

Twentieth in League Two before the kick off, they were looking to avenge a 1-0 reverse at Blundell Park in September. Before that, though, Crewe had beaten Grimsby six times on the spin.

Grimsby Telegraph

Grimsby Town were handed their second League Two defeat inside three days when Crewe earned a 2-0 victory at Gresty Road.

Chris Porter opened the scoring for the home side, with Brad Walker doubling it up for the Railwaymen ten minutes before the interval.

And that’s how it finished in front of 3,292 fans in Cheshire, as the Mariners fell to a third defeat in four League Two games.

Just 48 hours on from the heavy home defeat to Accrington Stanley, there was a fair bit of movement in the Town ranks.

Grimsby Town FC Official Website

Grimsby Town fell to two first-half goals from Chris Porter and Brad Walker as they lost 2-0 to Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road in Sky Bet League Two.

The home side opened the scoring on 12 minutes, in front of an attendance of 3,292 (with 269 Town fans), when Porter latched onto Zoumana Bakayogo’s low cross from the left-wing to fire it past Mariners goalkeeper Ben Killip from six yards out.

Crewe doubled their lead on 34 minutes as Walker’s powerful strike from the edge of the area darted into the top-right corner.