- Rod McDonald opens his account for the club
- First home defeat of the season for The Railwaymen
- Crewe now 10th in the League Two standings
Crewe Alexandra were defeated at Mornflake Stadium for the first time this season when Stevenage fought back from behind.
The Railwaymen were by far the better side in the first-half, and might have had more than Rod McDonald’s first for the club to show for it.
But after the restart the visitors came back into it, and forced in two scrappy goals from Jamie Reid.
It was a disappointing outcome for Alex Morris and his men, but they will lick their wounds and look to bounce back at Grimsby next weekend.
Morris made one enforced change from the 0-0 draw at Bradford City last time out in the league, as Kelvin Mellor (groin) was unavailable. Tariq Uwakwe was recalled and played in the unfamiliar position of right-back.
On 19 minutes Crewe missed an opportunity to hit the front when Conor Thomas saw a penalty brilliantly saved by keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond. It had been earned through excellent work by Eli King and Uwakwe before Sambou was brought down.
But it was 1-0 on 27 minutes when McDonald got on the end of a Uwakwe corner and angled a header past Ashby-Hammond and into the net.
Sambou brought a smart save from the busy keeper and Dan Agyei saw a curler well blocked, as The Alex pushed for a second.
There was controversy on 37 minutes when Sambou looked clean through and was felled by Dan Sweeney. The Boro defender escaped with a yellow card and Callum Ainley’s free-kick was over.
Keeper Arthur Okonkwo dealt smartly with a deflected Alex Gilbey drive which skipped off the turf, as the first 45 minutes ended 1-1.
It was 1-1 on 48 minutes. Reid was on hand to tuck home the loose ball after Okonkwo had made a good save from Gilbey.
Sambou and Courtney Baker-Richardson both got into good positions but couldn’t find the decisive touch as Crewe tried to retake the lead.
On 67 minutes it was 2-0 when The Boro put the ball in the box, Okonkwo didn’t get a clean punch and Reid was able to roll home.
Crewe huffed and puffed in their attempts to recover but struggled to create clear-cut chances.
The final pass or cross did not find the target often enough, and The Boro went home with all the points.
Crewe (4-3-3): Okonkwo; Uwakwe, Offord, McDonald, Williams; Thomas, King, Ainley; Sambou (Long, 69) Baker-Richardson, Agyei.
Subs not used: Richards, Leshabela, O Finney, C Finney, Tabiner, Sass-Davies.
Booked: King, Thomas, Baker-Richardson.
Stevenage (3-5-2): Ashby-Hammond; Sweeney, Vancooten, Piergianni; Wildin, Taylor, Reeves, Gilbey (Roberts, 61), Earley; Norris (Read, 92), Reid.
Subs not used: Chapman, Clark, Campbell, Smith, Amoo.
Booked: Sweeney, Reeves.
Referee: Tom Nield.
Attendance: 3,669 (167).