Calvin Zola grabbed his fourth goal in three matches to give Crewe a dramatic late victory at Darlington.
A resilient Darlington side held out bravely until a low angled drive from Zola three minutes from the end to leave Darlington still pointless.
Lee Thorpe had come close to giving them the lead just after the break with a 20-yard drive saved by David Button.
Thorpe volleyed inches over and Zola hit the woodwork before the Crewe forward sealed the three points.
Crewe boss Gudjon Thordarson told BBC Stoke and Staffordshire:
"It's a great feeling our execution of the game was excellent."
"I knew Darlington would test us but we defended well."
It's difficult to deal with teams like Darlington they are organised and strong and it was always going to be a competitive game.
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Darlington
0-1
Crewe
FT
(HT 0-0)
Zola 87
Darlington
01 Knight
02 Arnison (Bains 46)
03 Bower
04 Plummer
06 Miller
14 Smith
19 Chandler
22 Porritt
09 Thorpe
20 Dowson (Main 70)
23 Cook (Smith 58)
Substitutes
13 Liversedge,
21 Bains,
07 Smith,
08 Lumsdon,
11 Bennett,
10 Windass,
15 Main
Crewe
24 Button
02 Brayford
06 Ada
12 Mitchell-King
27 Worley
03 Jones
04 Schumacher
11 Grant (Donaldson 70)
14 Moore (Elding 78)
25 Aman
10 Zola
Substitutes
13 Legzdins,
19 Westwood,
26 Davis,
18 Murphy,
08 Donaldson,
09 Elding,
15 Miller
Ref: WaughAtt: 1,821
DARLINGTON
CREWE
Possession
Darlington51%
Crewe49%
Attempts on target
Darlington4
Crewe8
Attempts off target
Darlington6
Crewe5
Corners
Darlington4
Crewe12
Fouls
Darlington11
Crewe7
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:03 The match has reached full-time.
90:00+2:32 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Billy Jones, Ian Miller makes a clearance.
90:00+2:12 Steven Schumacher produces a drilled right-footed shot from 25 yards. David Knight makes a save.
90:00+0:01 Clayton Donaldson takes a shot. Save by David Knight.
88:46 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Billy Jones from the right by-line, clearance by Rikki Bains.
87:56 The assistant referee signals for offside against Anthony Elding. Free kick taken by David Knight.
86:06 GOAL - Calvin Zola:Darlington 0 - 1 Crewe Calvin Zola gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Darlington 0-1 Crewe.
85:40 Outswinging corner taken by Billy Jones from the left by-line, clearance made by Ian Miller.
85:06 Corner from the right by-line taken by Billy Jones, clearance made by Rikki Bains.
83:43 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Harry Worley by Lee Thorpe. Free kick taken by David Button.
82:13 Unfair challenge on Rikki Bains by Calvin Zola results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by David Knight.
81:04 Effort on goal by Jamie Chandler from 20 yards. David Button makes a save.
77:57 Substitution Byron Moore leaves the field to be replaced by Anthony Elding.
77:20 Billy Jones takes the outswinging corner, clearance by Gary Smith.
73:50 A cross is delivered by Nathan Porritt, Curtis Main takes a shot. Save by David Button.
71:43 Shot from just outside the box by Gary Smith misses to the left of the target.
69:52 Substitution David Dowson leaves the field to be replaced by Curtis Main.
Correction - 69:19 Substitution Joel Grant goes off and Clayton Donaldson comes on.
69:19 Substitution Clayton Donaldson on for Joel Grant.
69:02 Effort from outside the penalty box by Gary Smith goes wide right of the goal.
67:37 Shot from 25 yards by Gary Smith. Save by David Button.
65:49 Inswinging corner taken by Billy Jones from the right by-line, Header by Harry Worley from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.
65:11 Billy Jones takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance made by Ian Miller.
64:35 Unfair challenge on Mat Mitchel-King by Gary Smith results in a free kick. Harry Worley takes the direct free kick.
61:50 Joel Grant has an effort at goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
60:38 Foul by Steven Schumacher on Gary Smith, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Gary Smith.
60:05 The offside flag is raised against Byron Moore. Free kick taken by David Knight.
58:03 Effort on goal by Calvin Zola from 30 yards.
57:09 Substitution (Darlington) makes a substitution, with Jeff Smith coming on for Jordan Cook.
54:51 The official flags Jordan Cook offside. David Button restarts play with the free kick.
53:17 Byron Moore takes a shot. Gary Smith gets a block in. Corner taken by Billy Jones from the left by-line, clearance by Ian Miller.
50:39 Calvin Zola is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by David Knight.
49:40 Shot on goal by Lee Thorpe from just inside the area clears the crossbar.
47:48 Mat Mitchel-King fouled by David Dowson, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Harry Worley.
46:00 Corner taken by Gary Smith played to the near post, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Mark Bower goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
45:38 Shot by Lee Thorpe. Save made by David Button.
45:01 The referee gets the second half underway.
45:01 Substitution Rikki Bains replaces Paul Arnison.
Half Time
45:00+2:08 The referee blows for half time.
45:00+0:08 Corner taken by Gary Smith from the left by-line to the near post, Calvin Zola manages to make a clearance.
44:52 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ian Miller by Calvin Zola. Gary Smith takes the free kick.
43:45 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Billy Jones from the left by-line to the near post, clearance made by Matt Plummer.
43:30 The ball is delivered by Joel Grant, Calvin Zola takes a shot. Blocked by Ian Miller.
42:09 The referee blows for offside against Joel Grant. Free kick taken by David Knight.
40:54 Outswinging corner taken by Billy Jones from the left by-line played to the near post, Aman Verma produces a header from inside the area that goes over the crossbar.
40:38 Aman Verma takes a shot. Ian Miller gets a block in.
39:46 Byron Moore is ruled offside. Indirect free kick taken by David Knight.
36:22 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Billy Jones.
36:01 Aman Verma has an effort at goal. Save by David Knight.
34:30 Gary Smith has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the left of the goal.
33:45 The referee gives a free kick against Joel Grant for handball. David Knight restarts play with the free kick.
33:17 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Billy Jones, clearance made by Paul Arnison.
32:45 Joel Grant fouled by Matt Plummer, the ref awards a free kick. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Billy Jones, clearance made by Lee Thorpe.
31:01 Lee Thorpe concedes a free kick for a foul on John Brayford. Direct free kick taken by David Button.
29:52 Jordan Cook produces a left-footed shot from just outside the area that goes harmlessly over the target.
29:23 Calvin Zola challenges Paul Arnison unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by David Knight.
28:27 Corner taken by Gary Smith from the right by-line to the near post, clearance made by Harry Worley.
26:54 Gary Smith takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, Billy Jones manages to make a clearance.
26:42 Centre by Paul Arnison, clearance by Mat Mitchel-King.
26:02 The assistant referee flags for offside against Joel Grant. David Knight restarts play with the free kick.
24:34 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ian Miller by Byron Moore. Free kick taken by David Knight.
23:45 Paul Arnison gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Joel Grant. Billy Jones takes the direct free kick.
21:30 Unfair challenge on Paul Arnison by Calvin Zola results in a free kick. Free kick taken by David Knight.
20:10 Unfair challenge on Mat Mitchel-King by David Dowson results in a free kick. Free kick taken by David Button.
19:19 Joel Grant takes a shot. Save made by David Knight.
18:20 Byron Moore fouled by Mark Bower, the ref awards a free kick. Billy Jones takes the direct free kick.
15:43 The assistant referee signals for offside against John Brayford. Free kick taken by David Knight.
12:17 Free kick awarded for a foul by Aman Verma on Paul Arnison. Free kick taken by Mark Bower.
8:47 The referee blows for offside against John Brayford. David Knight takes the indirect free kick.
8:26 Jamie Chandler challenges Calvin Zola unfairly and gives away a free kick. Billy Jones restarts play with the free kick.
6:21 The referee blows for offside against Calvin Zola. David Knight takes the free kick.
4:20 Jordan Cook gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Aman Verma. Harry Worley takes the free kick.
3:02 Effort from the edge of the box by John Brayford goes wide of the left-hand upright.
2:44 Unfair challenge on Steven Schumacher by Lee Thorpe results in a free kick. Billy Jones restarts play with the free kick.
0:00 The match gets underway.
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