Without a win in the league since September 13th, the Crewe boss has come under fire from supporters and his side were heading for a tenth League defeat until Pope struck with five minutes remaining.
Peterborough United had most of the play at the Alexandra Stadium and led from the 14th minute when Aaron McLean fired his third goal in two games. Paul Coutts drove a shot against a defender's legs and while McLean looked offside when he received the rebound, he kept his cool to drill the ball into the bottom corner.
Strike partner Craig Mackail-Smith was always a handful for the home defence. Before McLean's goal, he'd broken free from the shackles of Dennis Lawrence, but Steve Collis got down to make the save.
Crewe's keeper was in excellent form all night and he twice rescued his side in the opening minutes of the second half. He produced a fine block at the near post to save George Boyd's fierce angled shot.
And he was equally alert to get down to save from Mackail-Smith when the striker latched on to McLean's through ball and outran Danny O'Donnell.
Crewe had few chances in the first half, although Peterborough keeper Joe Lewis was forced to tip a looping header from Lawrence onto the roof of his net after John Brayford launched a free-kick into the box and Lewis could only push Michael O'Connor's 25-yard drive into the path of Shaun Miller.
The keeper was rescued by an offside flag against the Crewe winger.
Despite those Crewe chances, Peterborough had by and large run the first half to the backdrop of chants of Holland out and sack the board.
Crewe improved measurably on the restart although they suffered a blow when O'Connor limped off in the 58th minute.
They survived penalty appeals when George Abbey looked to have hauled down substitute Shaun Batt and when Joel Grant crossed in the 88th minute Pope turned and fired the equaliser into the bottom corner.