CREWE boss Dario Gradi felt two valuable points were dropped in the relegation battle at Gillingham.

Victory would have seen them take a massive step to survival, leapfrogging their hosts along with the majority of their rivals fighting to beat the drop.

Failing to break that near four-month search for a win leaves Crewe just one point clear of third-bottom Brighton with three to play.

"It was a wonderful strike by Vaughan but although we had the better chances of the game, our overall finishing was poor and let us down," he explained.

"We did not pass the ball very well and we did not stamp our authority on the game.

"We need more courage to get the ball down and play.

"This was one of those games we had to win and I feel we've thrown away a great chance of an important three points.

"Having said that, a point might turn out to be valuable come the end of the season."

Gradi felt losing Steve Jones was a big blow at half-time through a hamstring injury.

"The boys worked very hard and resolutely against a lot of up and unders.

"But in terms of any football there wasn't much of it.

"We didn't show any attacking skills.

"It was difficult to pick out a player who was going to make the pass and difficult to find a forward who was going to score.

"Losing Steve Jones was a blow for us.

"The centre-halves would be our only nominations for man-of-the-match and Clayton Ince justified his recall by coming for those high balls.

"He's blameless for the goal because he would have seen it late.

"We had chances to win it from the first half with Neil Sorvel and Luke's effort but they weren't good enough."