Rio Adebisi’s second-half goal was enough to get promotion-chasing Crewe back to winning ways as the Railwaymen edged out Crawley 1-0.
Following an evenly-matched first half, the home side pressed after the break and wing-back Adebisi made the decisive breakthrough just after the hour mark.
That ensured Lee Bell’s side picked up their first success in three games, and saw them move into the automatic promotion places in League Two.
Crawley threatened early on with a Liam Kelly free-kick that swerved over the top corner while Adam Campbell failed to make the most of a poor clearance by Mickey Demetriou, with the Crawley attacker pulling his effort straight at home keeper Harvey Davies.
But it was Crewe who went closest in the first period when Elliott Nevitt’s right-footed effort cannoned off the near post. The striker then failed to apply a touch at the far post to Aaron Rowe’s cross as the hosts went close again in first-half stoppage time.
After the restart Adebisi headed a cross on the bounce just over the far corner of Corey Addai’s goal.
But the 23-year-old made no mistake when he arrived in the box soon after to turn in Conor Thomas’ cross from the right and put Crewe ahead in the 61st minute.
Thomas then nearly went from provider to scorer when he headed substitute Courtney Baker-Richardson’s flick-on narrowly past the post.
Crawley substitute Ronan Darcy went close to finding the far corner with powerful 25-yard strike in the closing minutes, but Crewe held on for the points.