Matt Tootle struck his first goal for Crewe as they twice came from behind to hold League Two leaders Rochdale.
Crewe's Calvin Zola netted after two minutes but it was ruled out for offside and the half was goalless.
Craig Dawson fired Rochdale ahead from a corner but Ashley Westwood levelled from the edge of the box.
Kallum Higginbotham drilled into the roof of the net three minutes later to put Dale ahead again before Tootle hit the ball home at the second attempt.
Crewe boss Dario Gradi told BBC Radio Stoke:
"I said to them at half-time, 'I don't think I've ever seen a game of such quality in this league'.
"I said to them before the game, 'I think you can push for the play-offs but we'll find out today definitely, the trick is if you're doing something badly make sure you to try to do it right'.
"I thought our two centre-halves were excellent, I don't remember them ever panicking or going to ground they always seemed to be in control."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Npower League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Crewe
2-2
Rochdale
FT
(HT 0-0)
Westwood 71
Tootle 77
Dawson 53
Higginbotham 74
Crewe
31 Phillips
02 Brayford
05 O'Donnell
12 Mitchell-King
19 Westwood
23 Tootle
11 Grant (Moore 80)
18 Murphy
28 Walton
08 Donaldson
10 Zola
Substitutes
13 Legzdins,
03 Jones,
20 Shelley,
27 Worley,
04 Schumacher,
14 Moore,
15 Miller
Rochdale
38 Heaton
03 Kennedy yellow card
04 Stanton
26 Dawson
28 Flynn
07 Kennedy
15 Thompson (Higginbotham 51)
32 Atkinson
33 Taylor (Jones 84)
09 Dagnall
19 O'Grady
Substitutes
13 Taberner,
23 McArdle,
06 Toner,
08 Jones,
35 Hagan,
12 Glover,
18 Higginbotham
Ref: LangfordAtt: 5,563
CREWE
ROCHDALE
Possession
Crewe53%
Rochdale47%
Attempts on target
Crewe7
Rochdale3
Attempts off target
Crewe8
Rochdale3
Corners
Crewe9
Rochdale7
Fouls
Crewe6
Rochdale8
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:41 The referee ends the match.
90:00+1:56 Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Thomas Kennedy, John Brayford makes a clearance.
90:00+0:44 Corner from left by-line taken by Thomas Kennedy.
89:19 Booking The referee books Thomas Kennedy for unsporting behaviour.
89:09 Unfair challenge on Byron Moore by Thomas Kennedy results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ashley Westwood.
Correction - 87:49 Will Atkinson produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
87:49 Will Atkinson has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.
87:21 Unfair challenge on Chris O'Grady by Simon Walton results in a free kick. Thomas Kennedy takes the direct free kick.
85:11 Matt Tootle takes a shot. Save by Tom Heaton.
83:45 Substitution (Rochdale) makes a substitution, with Gary Jones coming on for Jason Taylor.
81:09 Corner taken by Ashley Westwood, Calvin Zola has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide left of the goal.
80:10 Inswinging corner taken by Ashley Westwood, save by Tom Heaton.
79:27 Substitution Byron Moore is brought on as a substitute for Joel Grant.
78:55 Inswinging corner taken by Thomas Kennedy from the right by-line, clearance made by Daniel O'Donnell.
76:23 GOAL - Matt Tootle:Crewe 2 - 2 Rochdale Matt Tootle gets on the score sheet with a goal from close in low into the middle of the goal. Crewe 2-2 Rochdale.
75:36 Matt Tootle takes a shot. Save made by Tom Heaton.
74:39 The assistant referee signals for offside against John Brayford. Indirect free kick taken by Tom Heaton.
73:20 Chris O'Grady provided the assist for the goal.
73:20 GOAL - Kallum Higginbotham:Crewe 1 - 2 Rochdale Kallum Higginbotham finds the back of the net with a goal from outside the area to the top right corner of the goal. Crewe 1-2 Rochdale.
72:30 Jason Kennedy fouled by Ashley Westwood, the ref awards a free kick. Matthew Flynn restarts play with the free kick.
70:56 GOAL - Ashley Westwood:Crewe 1 - 1 Rochdale Ashley Westwood grabs a goal from just outside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Crewe 1-1 Rochdale.
70:04 Chris Dagnall is penalised for a handball. Direct free kick taken by Ashley Westwood.
69:43 Corner from the left by-line taken by Ashley Westwood, clearance made by Nathan Stanton.
69:31 John Brayford crosses the ball, clearance by Matthew Flynn.
68:22 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Ashley Westwood, Chris Dagnall manages to make a clearance.
65:31 Clayton Donaldson challenges Craig Dawson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Tom Heaton.
63:39 Ashley Westwood fouled by Kallum Higginbotham, the ref awards a free kick. Simon Walton takes the free kick.
62:52 Free kick awarded for a foul by Will Atkinson on John Brayford. Free kick taken by Steve Phillips.
Correction - 59:45 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jason Taylor on Ashley Westwood. Ashley Westwood crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, save by Tom Heaton.
59:45 Jason Taylor gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ashley Westwood. Free kick taken by Ashley Westwood.
58:55 Kallum Higginbotham is ruled offside. Steve Phillips takes the indirect free kick.
57:45 Clayton Donaldson takes a shot. Save made by Tom Heaton. Corner taken right-footed by Ashley Westwood, clearance made by Jason Kennedy.
56:46 Calvin Zola fouled by Jason Kennedy, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Daniel O'Donnell.
55:19 Calvin Zola produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
54:13 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Ashley Westwood.
52:50 Thomas Kennedy provided the assist for the goal.
52:50 GOAL - Craig Dawson:Crewe 0 - 1 Rochdale Craig Dawson finds the net with a goal from close in to the bottom left corner of the goal. Crewe 0-1 Rochdale.
52:38 Corner taken left-footed by Thomas Kennedy,
52:25 The ball is swung over by Jason Kennedy, clearance by Matt Tootle.
50:48 Substitution (Rochdale) makes a substitution, with Kallum Higginbotham coming on for Joe Thompson.
50:05 A cross is delivered by Thomas Kennedy, save by Steve Phillips.
49:13 The ball is delivered by Will Atkinson, Close range header by Craig Dawson misses to the right of the goal.
48:42 Thomas Kennedy decides to take a short corner.
48:32 Will Atkinson delivers the ball, John Brayford gets a block in.
46:59 Ashley Westwood fouled by Jason Taylor, the ref awards a free kick. Ashley Westwood takes the direct free kick.
45:53 Inswinging corner taken by Thomas Kennedy from the right by-line, Close range header by Craig Dawson goes over the bar.
45:01 The game restarts for the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:07 It is the end of the first-half.
43:36 Chris Dagnall challenges Ashley Westwood unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Ashley Westwood.
41:26 Effort from inside the area by Clayton Donaldson misses to the right of the goal.
39:30 Matt Tootle sends in a cross, Calvin Zola produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.
39:18 A cross is delivered by Simon Walton, save by Tom Heaton.
38:18 Foul by Jason Kennedy on Mat Mitchel-King, free kick awarded. Steve Phillips takes the free kick.
36:12 Corner from the left by-line taken by Thomas Kennedy, clearance made by John Brayford.
32:01 Clayton Donaldson produces a cross, Header from close in by Calvin Zola misses to the right of the goal.
30:00 Shot from outside the area by Joel Grant misses to the left of the target.
28:58 The ball is crossed by Luke Murphy, Tom Heaton makes a save.
25:02 Outswinging corner taken by Ashley Westwood, Thomas Kennedy makes a clearance.
24:25 Corner taken by Ashley Westwood, Craig Dawson makes a clearance.
21:52 Chris O'Grady fouled by Simon Walton, the ref awards a free kick. Thomas Kennedy takes the free kick.
16:56 Clayton Donaldson takes a shot. Tom Heaton makes a save.
16:13 Jason Kennedy takes a shot. Steve Phillips makes a save.
14:54 The ball is swung over by Matthew Flynn, clearance by Simon Walton.
11:46 Thomas Kennedy crosses the ball, Daniel O'Donnell manages to make a clearance.
10:55 Mat Mitchel-King concedes a free kick for a foul on Chris O'Grady. Free kick taken by Thomas Kennedy.
10:09 Clayton Donaldson takes a shot. Tom Heaton makes a save.
7:36 Joe Thompson is ruled offside. Steve Phillips restarts play with the free kick.
6:45 Calvin Zola gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Chris Dagnall. Thomas Kennedy takes the direct free kick.
5:43 Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Calvin Zola goes wide of the right-hand upright.
4:24 Corner from the left by-line taken by Ashley Westwood, Jason Kennedy makes a clearance.
2:34 The assistant referee flags for offside against Calvin Zola. Free kick taken by Tom Heaton.
0:30 Calvin Zola has an effort at goal from outside the box which misses left.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to start the match.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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