- Railwaymen beaten by two second-half strikes
- Second straight defeat on the road
- Loan man Finnigan back in fold
Crewe Alexandra slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Leyton Orient, who were confirmed as League Two champions on Saturday.
Second-half goals from George Moncur and sub Charlie Kelman took the League Two leaders to their target of the title.
It was rough on The Railwaymen, who matched the front-runners for large parts of the game and forged decent chances to score.
But errors at the back cost them, and Orient completed the league double over Crewe.
Lee Bell made three changes to the side that beat Walsall last time out. Charlie Finney missed out through injury, and was replaced at left-back by Tariq Uwakwe. Fit-again Ryan Finnigan and Courtney Baker-Richardson came in for Callum Ainley and Elliott Nevitt, who dropped to the bench.
Orient, who were without suspended skipper Omar Beckles, received a rapturous reception as they entered the pitch after securing automatic promotion in midweek.
After a lively opening, in which Crewe won a couple of corners, Dave Richards made the first real save of the game when he was equal to a Paul Smyth strike.
On 27 minutes the referee played an advantage for a foul on Finnigan, and Dan Agyei slipped Christopher Long through towards goal. The forward snatched at his left-footed shot and it was well off target.
Richards parried a close-range effort from Smyth after he’d burst into the box, and then claimed the resultant corner, before the half-hour mark.
Moncur whistled one wide, and defender Jamie McCart nodded off target from a corner, as the half came to a close.
Crewe won two early corners in the second half, with Finnigan almost setting up the opener, and the home crowd tried to lift their side.
But on 51 minutes Orient hit the front after Agyei was adjudged to have tripped birthday boy Darren Pratley in the box and Moncur slotted home the penalty.
Crewe responded well, and on 55 minutes Long was presented with a good chance inside the area but keeper Lawrence Vigouroux made a super reflex save.
On 68 minutes Agyei cut inside from the left and forced a smart stop from Vigoroux, while Richards made an excellent save from sub Jordan Brown at the other end.
Orient got their second on 77 minutes when Richards came to meet a long ball and missed his kick, and Kelman was able to walk the ball into an empty net.
Orient (4-2-3-1): Vigouroux; Sweeney (James, 79), McCart, Turns, Hunt; Pratley, Mizouni (Brown, 56); Smyth (Drinan, 79), Sadlier (Kelman, 66), Moncur; Sotiriou.
Subs not used: Sargeant, Ogie, Clay.
Booked: Miziouni.
Crewe (4-4-2): Richards; Mellor, McDonald, Offord, Uwakwe; Thomas, Finnigan (Griffiths, 57), Tabiner (Ainley, 57), Agyei; Long (Brook, 86), Baker-Richardson (Nevitt, 79).
Subs not used: Booth, Amoo, Robertson.
Booked: Thomas, Griffiths.
Referee: Sam Allison.