Crewe Alex - 0 Stockport County - 2

THE odds on Crewe surviving for another term in Division 1 grew significantly longer after another damp failure in a "must-win" tussle on Saturday.

Even the most ardent Alex fan must be resigned to a second division homecoming after goals from Colin Woodthorpe and Tony Ellis won a vital three points for fellow strugglers Stockport County.

In a dour game that lacked adventure from either side, Crewe were forced down a host of cul-de-sacs by a structured road block defence which left manager Dario Gradi frustrated by Crewe's lack of avenues.

"We have to stop relying on Rodney Jack," he said.

"To win games you must have good front players but at the moment ours aren't going to cause problems and unfortunately I haven't got any players to come in to replace them.

"We were superior in the first half but we didn't make it count and we needed someone to put the ball in the net."

Danny Murphy, making a hero's return to Gresty Road but still not providing enough of a spark to reach saviour status, nearly marked his homecoming with a goal from the first attack of the game.

Shaun Smith's free-kick was punched to the edge of the area by County keeper Carlo Nash and Murphy followed-up to send a dipping shot over the crossbar.

Jack was also presented with an early chance as Smith's long ball over the top unhinged the offside trap, but Nash raced out of his box to make the tackle.

Stockport finally came to life and laid seige to the Alex goal, hitting the post twice in two minutes, having a Brett Angell header cleared off the line by Mark Rivers and a deflected 25-yard strike forcing a fingertip save from Jason Kearton.

Then Woodthorpe struck for his first league goal this season, powering a free-kick into the bottom corner to round off a spell of unrelenting pressure.

Rivers was reserved the biggest cheer of the day when he was replaced by Kevin Street after missing a pair of glorious chances from inside the six-yard box.

First Jack fired a low cross from the right which fizzed inches ahead of Rivers' outstretched boot, then he completely mis-cued after Jack laid on a free shot from point blank range.

Ellis sealed the win on 80 minutes, blasting home the rebound after Kearton parried Dave Smith's 20-yard effort to secure the first nail in the Crewe coffin.

Bristol, Oxford, Port Vale and Portsmouth are still waiting with their hammers.

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