Crewe Alex...1 Porstmouth...0

MORE of the resolute defending Alex fans are becoming accustomed to, saw Crewe through to their sixth straight home victory on Saturday.

And they really needed it during a sloppy second half that Pompey dominated without reward.

It was a far cry from the first 20 minutes in which Crewe turned on the style with some classy football and a wonder goal.

A returning Rodney Jack and Kenny Lunt combined before the 21-year-old midfielder unleashed a 25-yard blockbuster that keeper Flahavan barely tipped over on 6 minutes.

It was the same two who carved Pompey open four minutes later with a fine display of one-touch football that earned a breakthrough.

Jack darted down the middle and picked out Lunt on the left who whipped in the cross for Ashton to turn the defence and fire the ball into the back of the net.

The Alex continued their assault as Wright went close and Walton saw his effort from a Smith corner, only denied by another good stop from Flahavan.

Pompey's shotstopper again did well to keep out Ashton and Street's overhead kick before Crewe's grip of the game slowly slipped away.

Despite their possession and looking good going forward, only Lee Sharpe really threatened for the visitors before the interval with Harper blasting over a free header in stoppage time.

Graham Rix's boys enjoyed a much better second period with Panopoulos's long-range drive an early warning for 'George' Bankole who needed a cool head to make the save on 51 minutes.

Lovell did all the hard work when finally finding a way through Crewe's rearguard as he cut in from the right but wasted a real sitter.

Ashton almost made Portsmouth pay on the break before Panopoulous should have levelled on 74 minutes with an easy opportunity he smashed straight at George from five yards out.

Pompey corners were scrambled away as Alex fans were forced into clock watching. Rivers almost wrapped it up at the death, setting up substitute Tait for a solid effort which Flahavan parried away to Charnock whose effort suffered a similar fate.

Crewe: Bankole, Wright, Smith, Lunt, Walton, Macauley, Street (Charnock 81), Sorvel, Jack, Ashton (Tait 86), Rivers. Subs not used: Welsby, Foster, Little.

Attendance: 6,182.

Picture - Dean Ashton celebrates putting Crewe on course to their sixth successive win against Portsmouth. Photo by Steve Finch.