- Railwaymen rise to fifth
- White strike divides the sides
- Super spirit earns clean sheet
Crewe Alexandra stunned high-flying Mansfield Town with a superb win on the road.
Joe White’s second-minute strike proved the difference between the sides at One Call Stadium, where the hosts were previously unbeaten.
Another spirited and resilient defensive effort was vital to the result and, roared on by a strong away following, Crewe made it back-to-back wins.
The Railwaymen moved up to fifth thanks to the three-point haul – their first on the road since October.
Now they will rest up and prepare for the visit of Swindon Town.
Lee Bell made one change to the side that beat Bradford City on New Year’s Day, with fit-again Conor Thomas returning to the starting line-up. Shilow Tracey dropped to the bench.
Mansfield, who started former Alex striker Jordan Bowery at right-back, found themselves 1-0 down inside two minutes.
Aaron Rowe won the ball high up the pitch and, as everyone else hesitated, White drilled a low shot beyond keeper Christy Pym and into the bottom corner.
The combination of Rio Adebisi and Mickey Demetriou blocked a shot from Davis Keillor-Dunn when the Stags man looked sure to score, and that typified Crewe’s defensive determination in the opening 30 minutes.
On 34 minutes, keeper Tom Booth made an incredible point-blank save to deny George Marris and then Luke Offord blocked a Stephen Quinn strike as the hosts ramped up the pressure.
On 41 minutes, a brilliant turn from White in midfield set the Alex pouring forward. The midfielder fed Courtney Baker-Richardson but the striker blasted into the side netting.
The Railwaymen almost struck early in the second half. Baker-Richardson got down the right and squared for Rowe who took a touch before firing a low shot which cannoned back off the post.
Baker-Richardson rose highest from an Alex corner but nodded over while, at the other end, Booth came and punched a dangerous cross as the hosts attacked.
Just after the hour mark a super bit of play from Ryan Cooney, just on as a sub, saw him rob a defender and then find Baker-Richardson but the striker could only poke wide from eight yards.
On 70 minutes Baker-Richardson shrugged a defender aside but could not connect well with the shot, while Louis Reed fizzed a strike wide for Mansfield shortly afterwards.
Baker-Richardson dived in to make a vital block from Will Swan as the clock ticked down, while Reed was off target from distance again.
In the last of six added minutes, Booth leapt into the top corner to claw away a free-kick from Baily Cargill and the points – as well as a second-consecutive clean sheet - were safe.
Mansfield (4-4-2): Pym; Bowery, Flint, Cargill, McLoughlin (Swan, 82); Reed, Maris (Clarke, 67), Brunt, Quinn (Lewis, 67); Atkins, Keillor-Dunn.
Subs not used: Flinders, Williams, Boateng, Abdullah.
Booked: Flint, Maris,
Crewe (4-2-3-1): Booth; Adebisi, O’Riordan, Demetriou, Billington; Offord, Thomas (Cooney, 63); Long (Nevitt, 51), Rowe, White (Tracey, 79); Baker-Richardson.
Subs not used: Davies, Robinson, Kempster-Down, Agius.
Booked: Thomas, Tracey.
Referee: M Corlett.
Attendance: 7,295 (474).