A 76th minute goal from loan signing Elliott Bennett sealed Crewe's first win of the season over local neighbours and made the Wolves signing a local hero the result banished the 3-0 defeat at Vale Park at the end of last season.
The result has seen Crewe pick up 10pts out of the last 12pts and has moved the Railwaymen up the league and a few points of the play-offs.
Crewe technical director Dario Gradi told the Evening Sentinel "That was good for the fans and for us too that we could send them home happy," said Gradi after the win at neighbours Port Vale.
"They've not been going home happy too often this season. I understand there's a lot of criticism. I don't see it and, from what I hear, a lot of it is unfounded.
"All we can do is try to get our boys to play good football - we're not going to lump it up the pitch.
"We did play some good football against Vale, not enough, but the win compensated for that."
The Railwaymen will now hope to take their form in to this weekends FA Cup tie at home to MK Dons where a win would see them progress to the second round and one round off from the big guns.