Goals from Clayton Donaldson and Shaun Miller kept Crewe in the hunt for a play-off spot as they beat Northampton.
The Cobblers nearly took a fortunate lead when a mis-hit cross from Liam Davis was tipped on to the crossbar.
But Crewe then took control and Donaldson grabbed his sixth goal in six games when he collected Byron Moore's pass and lifted the ball into the net.
Miller sealed the points as he took Danny Blanchett's cross on the turn and calmly sidefooted past Chris Dunn.
Northampton Town manager Ian Sampson tells BBC Radio Northampton: "We started ever so brightly but then they got a foothold in the game, and I'm really disappointed with the goals we conceded.
"If you don't get it right in both boxes, you've got nothing to build off.
"With not playing for so long, it's undone all the good work from before Christmas, but we weren't the only team in that position."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Npower League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Crewe
2-0
Northampton
FT
(HT 1-0)
Donaldson 43
Miller 59
Crewe
13 Taylor
02 Tootle
03 Blanchett
05 Artell
06 Ada
04 Westwood
08 Murphy
12 Bell
14 Moore
07 Donaldson
10 Miller (Grant 82)
Substitutes
01 Phillips,
17 Shelley,
22 Davis,
23 Dugdale,
11 Grant,
19 Mellor,
25 Powell
Northampton
01 Dunn
06 Beckwith
14 Johnson yellow card
23 Davis
25 Tozer
08 Osman yellow card
11 Holt
12 Wedderburn yellow card
17 Jacobs
18 McKenzie (Herbert 63)
30 Jarvis (McKay 64)
Substitutes
13 Walker,
02 Rodgers,
03 Hall,
04 Thornton,
15 Herbert,
16 McKay,
28 King
Ref: PawsonAtt: 3,835
CREWE
NORTHAMPTON
Possession
Crewe51%
Northampton49%
Attempts on target
Crewe7
Northampton2
Attempts off target
Crewe8
Northampton4
Corners
Crewe7
Northampton6
Fouls
Crewe6
Northampton17
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:15 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+1:23 John Johnson challenges Clayton Donaldson unfairly and gives away a free kick. David Artell takes the indirect free kick.
90:00+1:23 Booking John Johnson is booked.
90:00+1:12 The ball is delivered by John Johnson, clearance by David Artell.
88:27 Luke Murphy gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Liam Davis. Liam Davis restarts play with the free kick.
87:12 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ashley Westwood by Abdul Osman. David Artell takes the indirect free kick.
87:12 Booking Abdul Osman receives a caution.
85:30 Corner taken by Michael Jacobs, save by Rhys Taylor.
85:25 Centre by Abdul Osman, blocked by Matt Tootle.
84:40 Unfair challenge on John Johnson by Joel Grant results in a free kick. Ben Tozer takes the indirect free kick.
81:53 Byron Moore concedes a free kick for a foul on Abdul Osman. Free kick taken by Ben Tozer.
81:01 Substitution Shaun Miller goes off and Joel Grant comes on.
80:42 Liam Davis has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.
79:49 Abdul Osman challenges Shaun Miller unfairly and gives away a free kick. David Artell takes the free kick.
79:11 The ball is sent over by Danny Blanchett, Headed effort from inside the area by Clayton Donaldson misses to the left of the goal.
78:09 Corner from the right by-line taken by Nathaniel Wedderburn, save made by Rhys Taylor.
77:30 Ashley Westwood has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the goal.
77:02 Centre by Byron Moore.
76:20 The assistant referee signals for offside against Shaun Miller. Free kick taken by Ben Tozer.
74:52 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Chris Dunn by Clayton Donaldson. Free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
74:46 John Johnson produces a cross, Patrick Ada manages to make a clearance.
74:27 Corner taken right-footed by Shaun Miller, clearance made by Andrew Holt.
74:05 Lee Bell produces a cross, Nathaniel Wedderburn gets a block in.
73:40 Andrew Holt sends in a cross, save by Rhys Taylor.
72:52 Clayton Donaldson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John Johnson. Ben Tozer takes the indirect free kick.
72:03 Shot from outside the box by Abdul Osman misses to the left of the goal.
67:02 Foul by Billy Mckay on David Artell, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Rhys Taylor.
64:41 The assistant referee flags for offside against Courtney Herbert. Free kick taken by David Artell.
63:01 Substitution Billy Mckay comes on in place of Ryan Jarvis.
62:23 Substitution Leon McKenzie leaves the field to be replaced by Courtney Herbert.
58:47 Assist by Danny Blanchett.
58:47 GOAL - Shaun Miller:Crewe 2 - 0 Northampton Shaun Miller gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Crewe 2-0 Northampton.
57:01 Abdul Osman challenges Matt Tootle unfairly and gives away a free kick. Rhys Taylor restarts play with the free kick.
Correction - 56:37 Andrew Holt produces a cross, blocked by Matt Tootle.
56:37 Andrew Holt delivers the ball, blocked by Matt Tootle.
55:30 Leon McKenzie is ruled offside. Free kick taken by David Artell.
52:59 Shaun Miller fouled by Dean Beckwith, the ref awards a free kick. Byron Moore sends in a cross, Shaun Miller produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that clears the crossbar.
52:25 Unfair challenge on Danny Blanchett by Michael Jacobs results in a free kick. Rhys Taylor restarts play with the free kick.
51:56 Clayton Donaldson is caught offside. Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
50:06 Andrew Holt produces a cross, save by Rhys Taylor.
47:49 Danny Blanchett fouled by Michael Jacobs, the ref awards a free kick. Rhys Taylor takes the indirect free kick.
46:31 Matt Tootle fouled by Andrew Holt, the ref awards a free kick. David Artell takes the free kick.
45:01 The referee starts the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:11 The whistle is blown to end the first half.
45:00+0:38 Abdul Osman delivers the ball, Headed effort from deep inside the area by Ryan Jarvis misses to the left of the goal.
43:45 Nathaniel Wedderburn gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Matt Tootle. Indirect free kick taken by Matt Tootle.
43:45 Booking The referee shows Nathaniel Wedderburn a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
42:01 Assist on the goal came from Byron Moore.
42:01 GOAL - Clayton Donaldson:Crewe 1 - 0 Northampton Goal scored by Clayton Donaldson from deep inside the penalty box low into the middle of the goal. Crewe 1-0 Northampton.
Correction - 39:52 Free kick awarded for a foul by Abdul Osman on Clayton Donaldson. Matt Tootle restarts play with the free kick.
39:52 Unfair challenge on Clayton Donaldson by Abdul Osman results in a free kick. Danny Blanchett takes the indirect free kick.
38:22 Lee Bell handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Liam Davis.
37:39 Close range shot by Clayton Donaldson goes wide of the right-hand upright.
37:01 Foul by Leon McKenzie on Luke Murphy, free kick awarded. Lee Bell restarts play with the free kick.
35:09 A cross is delivered by Shaun Miller.
32:56 Leon McKenzie is adjudged to have handled the ball. Free kick taken by Rhys Taylor.
31:48 Michael Jacobs fouled by Ashley Westwood, the ref awards a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
31:42 The ball is sent over by Ashley Westwood, Ben Tozer manages to make a clearance.
31:02 Nathaniel Wedderburn challenges Lee Bell unfairly and gives away a free kick. Rhys Taylor takes the indirect free kick.
30:01 Ashley Westwood produces a cross, Andrew Holt makes a clearance.
29:51 The ball is swung over by Byron Moore, Nathaniel Wedderburn makes a clearance.
29:33 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Luke Murphy.
29:12 Byron Moore takes a shot. Dean Beckwith gets a block in.
28:22 Ashley Westwood takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.
Correction - 24:50 The ball is delivered by Luke Murphy, Chris Dunn makes a save.
24:50 Abdul Osman crosses the ball, save by Rhys Taylor.
24:32 Clayton Donaldson takes a shot. Brilliant save by Chris Dunn.
23:20 Foul by Leon McKenzie on David Artell, free kick awarded. David Artell takes the free kick.
22:42 Free kick awarded for a foul by Nathaniel Wedderburn on Shaun Miller. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Matt Tootle, Chris Dunn makes a save.
22:21 Inswinging corner taken by Lee Bell, clearance made by Dean Beckwith.
21:45 Shaun Miller takes a shot. John Johnson gets a block in.
20:31 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Lee Bell by Nathaniel Wedderburn. David Artell takes the free kick.
19:38 A cross is delivered by Danny Blanchett, Shot on goal by Byron Moore from just inside the area goes over the target.
18:35 Corner taken by David Artell.
18:26 Corner taken by Nathaniel Wedderburn from the right by-line, clearance made by Patrick Ada.
18:05 Andrew Holt takes a shot. David Artell gets a block in.
17:58 Centre by Nathaniel Wedderburn, clearance by Rhys Taylor.
17:42 Nathaniel Wedderburn takes a inswinging corner to the near post, David Artell makes a clearance.
17:27 Michael Jacobs has an effort at goal from 18 yards. Blocked by Ashley Westwood.
17:11 The ball is swung over by Dean Beckwith, Rhys Taylor gets a block in.
17:01 Liam Davis delivers the ball, Luke Murphy manages to make a clearance.
16:48 Corner taken by Michael Jacobs played to the near post, clearance made by Lee Bell.
16:19 The ball is delivered by Andrew Holt, Ryan Jarvis takes a shot. Lee Bell gets a block in.
14:46 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Danny Blanchett, David Artell has a header from deep inside the six-yard box and clears the crossbar.
14:20 Outswinging corner taken by Lee Bell, clearance made by Liam Davis.
13:53 Shaun Miller takes a shot. Blocked by Dean Beckwith.
9:26 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Danny Blanchett.
9:02 The ball is crossed by Byron Moore, clearance made by Dean Beckwith.
8:53 Clayton Donaldson produces a cross.
8:21 Clayton Donaldson sends in a cross, Luke Murphy takes a shot. Save by Chris Dunn.
4:22 Nathaniel Wedderburn takes a inswinging corner.
4:09 The ball is crossed by Liam Davis.
2:22 Byron Moore produces a drilled right-footed shot from 20 yards. Save by Chris Dunn.
1:53 Dean Beckwith concedes a free kick for a foul on Clayton Donaldson. David Artell takes the free kick.
0:37 The ball is crossed by Michael Jacobs, clearance by David Artell.
0:00 The match gets underway.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Barnet 1-3 Stockport
Bookmark with:
What are these?