Alex survival bid on track

Crewe climbed out of the relegation zone and placed a large dent in Port Vale's fading play-off hopes with a thrilling 3-1 win.

The visitors should have taken a fifth-minute lead when a mistake by Joe Davis let in Chuks Aneke but he steered his shot wide of a gaping net. But the Alex did go ahead in the 15th minute after the Vale defence failed to clear a searching right-wing cross from Byron Moore. Dan Jones blocked an initial attempt but Mathias Pogba forced the ball over the line from three yards out. Chances came thick and fast during the remainder of a pulsating first-half, with Vale striker Tom Pope heading against the crossbar and having a shot cleared off the line by Harry Davis. But Crewe had already squandered enough opportunities to put the game to bed with Aneke, who fired wide from four yards, the worst culprit. Aneke at least partly atoned three minutes after the interval after Vale skipper Doug Loft conceded a penalty for a trip on Matt Tootle. Chris Neal dived to his left as the teenage striker slotted his shot low inside the goalkeeper's right-hand post. And it was all over 17 minutes from time when some excellent link-up play involving Aneke and Pogba led to Brad Inman drilling a low, 16-yard shot inside Neal's right-hand post. Pope netted a consolation goal his performance deserved three minutes later when he squeezed in a far-post header from Chris Lines' corner.