• Baker-Richardson notches his sixth goal of the season
• A fourth league clean sheet for The Railwaymen
• Alex Morris’s men move up to ninth in the standings

Courtney Baker-Richardson got the only goal of the game as Crewe Alexandra got back to winning ways against Crawley Town.

The in-form striker plundered his sixth of the season in the second-half to earn The Railwaymen a first three-point haul in five attempts.

The victory, which came complete with a fourth clean sheet of the season, has lifted Alex Morris’s men to ninth in League Two.

Now they will look to build on it when Mansfield Town come to South Cheshire next weekend.

The manager made one personnel change to his starting side, with Bassala Sambou coming in for Zac Williams.

A reshuffle saw Tariq Uwakwe drop to left-back, and Callum Ainley move back to midfield, to allow Sambou to be part of a three-pronged attack.

Crewe were denied by the woodwork on 13 minutes when Ainley’s cross was met by Kelvin Mellor, only to see his header come back off the foot of the post.

Arthur Okonkwo was able to stop a Tom Fellows lob at the other end, while on 21 minutes Baker-Richardson was denied by keeper Corey Addai from close range.

On 39 minutes a swirling Eli King cross caused problems for Crawley but Sambou couldn’t force it home at the far post.

And just before the break Dan Agyei saw a curler deflected wide, as the first half ended goalless.

Harry Ransom should have done better when he arrived on the end of a cross from the Crawley left early in the second half, but he could only stab wide from close range.

Okonkwo showed great agility to stop a Dom Telford snapshot, while Ainley’s powerful strike at the other end was well held.

Crawley became increasingly less ambitious, and sat back as the game wore on. It was frustrating for the hosts, who were struggling to find a way through.

But on 73 minutes, King powered through a couple of challenges and poked the ball through for Baker-Richardson to race in and guide into the net first-time.

There was a scare right at the death when Jake Hessenthaler saw a shot saved at close range by Okonkwo, and Uwakwe hooked clear from under his own bar.

Crewe (4-3-3): Okonkwo; Mellor, Offord, McDonald, Uwakwe; Thomas, King, Ainley (Brook, 61 mins); Sambou, Baker-Richardson (Williams 93), Agyei (Leshabela 74).

Subs not used: Richards, C Finney, Adebisi, Sass-Davies.

Booked: Baker-Richardson, Thomas

Crawley (3-4-3): Addai; Craig (Powell 84), Ransom, Francillette; Fellows, Hessenthaler, Balagizi, Tsaroulla; Tilley (Nadesan 74), Nichols, Telford (Chukwuemeka 74).

Subs not used: Robson, Johnson, Khaleel, Ogungbo.

Booked: None.

Referee: Rachel Welch.

Attendance: 3,717 (133).