Crewe manager Dario Gradi marked his 990th league game in charge of the Railwaymen with a comfortable victory in Devon that keeps his side well on track for promotion to the First Division. Two early goals, from Rodney Jack and Dean Ashton, put Crewe 2-0 up before the quarter-hour mark. Although Plymouth pulled one back in the opening stages of the second half through Ian Stonebridge, Ashton's second strike of the night sewed up the points that maintained Crewe's second place in the table. The main architect of Crewe's victory was midfielder Kenny Lunt. It was Lunt's throughball in the fourth minute that led to Jack's opener as the St Vincent international outpaced the Plymouth backline before sliding the ball coolly past exposed keeper Romain Larrieu. Moments later, Jack nearly doubled his tally with a 25-yard shot that Larrieu had to stretch to parry. Crewe were well on top at this stage and it was no surprise when they extended their advantage as, again, the home defence was found badly wanting. Lunt's free-kick form the right found Ashton's head and he easily converted the chance. Plymouth's response was determined but they found Crewe keeper Clayton Ince in formidable form. First, Ince, saved well from a powerful header by Jason Bent and then he performed miracles to clutch Stonebridge's close-range shot after the ball had rebounded from the foot of the post following the Argyle player's header. Argyle manager Paul Sturrock read his side the riot act at half time as they came out for the second half in more determined fashion. Within 55 seconds of the restart they halved the deficit when Hodges' left-foot shot was parried by Ince for Stonebridge to fire in from close range. Ince then prevented an immediate equaliser, getting down well low to his left to save from Martin Phillips' shot on the right edge of the six-yard box. Any thoughts that the home side might deprive Crewe of all three points were dashed in the 68th minute when Lunt played in Ashton for him to drill home an unstoppable left-foot shot. |
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