Two first-half goals were enough for Torquay to end Crewe's five-match unbeaten run.
The hosts took an early lead when Eunan O'Kane finished Chris Zebroski's cross.
Zebroski headed in Kevin Nicholson's corner for the second, and United were denied a third by a trio of saves from visiting keeper Rhys Taylor.
Crewe got back in it through Danny Shelley's driven free-kick, but Clayton Donaldson missed the chance to equalise when one-on-one with Scott Bevan.
Torquay United manager Paul Buckle told BBC Radio Devon: "That's probably the best football that I've seen at Plainmoor in the first 45 minutes, although again if we're going to take this a notch further we've got to put chances away.
"We had several chances to get the third goal and fourth goal, but we couldn't do it and 2-0 is a precarious scoreline to go in with.
"When you've got a smaller squad like we have, there's a real buzz around the dressing room and as long as the players keep giving me the quality they have, I don't see anyone coming in."
Crewe manager Dario Gradi told BBC Radio Stoke: "We were 2-0 down and looked as though we might get a hiding.
"We'd all got to do better on the ball, I thought we did and in fact we created enough chances to get an equaliser.
"As they, it was a game of two halves. They took the first half, we took the second half."
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Npower League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Torquay
2-1
Crewe
FT
(HT 2-0)
O'Kane 7
Zebroski 16
Shelley 59
Torquay
01 Bevan
03 Nicholson
05 Robertson
23 Branston
04 Ellis yellow card
07 Mansell
10 O'Kane (Hemmings 90)
11 Wroe
19 Stevens (Kee 81)
09 Benyon (Oastler 90+2)
26 Zebroski
Substitutes
16 Potter,
02 Rowe-Turner,
18 Oastler,
17 Haldin,
22 Lathrope,
08 Kee,
27 Hemmings
Crewe
13 Taylor
02 Tootle
03 Blanchett
05 Artell
06 Ada yellow card
17 Shelley (Powell 88)
08 Murphy (Westwood 62)
12 Bell
07 Donaldson
10 Miller yellow card
14 Moore
Substitutes
01 Phillips,
23 Dugdale,
04 Westwood,
11 Grant,
21 Sarcevic,
09 Zola,
25 Powell
Ref: LiningtonAtt: 1,955
TORQUAY
CREWE
Possession
Torquay55%
Crewe45%
Attempts on target
Torquay8
Crewe3
Attempts off target
Torquay3
Crewe6
Corners
Torquay2
Crewe8
Fouls
Torquay13
Crewe8
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:39 The match has reached full-time.
90:00+2:51 David Artell gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nicky Wroe. Scott Bevan restarts play with the free kick.
90:00+2:32 Corner taken right-footed by Lee Bell to the near post, Mark Ellis manages to make a clearance.
90:00+1:41 Unfair challenge on Clayton Donaldson by Mark Ellis results in a free kick. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Lee Bell, blocked by Chris Zebroski.
90:00+1:41 Substitution Elliot Benyon goes off and Joe Oastler comes on.
89:49 Substitution (Torquay) makes a substitution, with Ashley Hemmings coming on for Eunan O'Kane.
89:06 Corner from the left by-line taken by Shaun Miller, save by Scott Bevan.
88:34 Inswinging corner taken by Danny Blanchett.
88:22 Inswinging corner taken by Danny Blanchett from the right by-line played to the near post, Mark Ellis manages to make a clearance.
87:16 Substitution Nick Powell is brought on as a substitute for Danny Shelley.
85:55 Foul by Elliot Benyon on Matt Tootle, free kick awarded. Danny Shelley takes the direct free kick.
84:49 Foul by Lee Bell on Lee Mansell, free kick awarded. Nicky Wroe restarts play with the free kick.
82:43 Clayton Donaldson produces a cross, Guy Branston manages to make a clearance.
81:10 Nicky Wroe gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Lee Bell. The ball is swung over by Danny Blanchett, David Artell produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box that clears the crossbar.
80:44 Substitution (Torquay) makes a substitution, with Billy Kee coming on for Danny Stevens.
79:56 Danny Shelley takes a shot. Save by Scott Bevan.
78:04 Corner taken by Shaun Miller played to the near post, Chris Zebroski manages to make a clearance.
77:49 Byron Moore produces a cross, Chris Robertson manages to make a clearance.
77:14 Eunan O'Kane crosses the ball, clearance made by Patrick Ada.
74:36 Danny Blanchett takes a short corner.
72:50 Effort from the edge of the area by Clayton Donaldson goes wide of the left-hand post.
71:37 Danny Shelley is adjudged to have handled the ball. Scott Bevan takes the direct free kick.
70:48 Kevin Nicholson produces a cross.
69:18 A cross is delivered by Byron Moore, Effort from close range by Shaun Miller goes wide left of the target.
66:49 Shot by Clayton Donaldson from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.
65:17 The ball is delivered by Eunan O'Kane.
64:26 Corner taken by Kevin Nicholson played to the near post, clearance made by Lee Bell.
64:10 Danny Stevens has an effort at goal. Blocked by Matt Tootle.
61:56 Free kick awarded for a foul by Chris Zebroski on Patrick Ada. Matt Tootle restarts play with the free kick.
61:56 Substitution Luke Murphy leaves the field to be replaced by Ashley Westwood.
61:13 Danny Stevens takes a shot. Blocked by Matt Tootle.
59:33 A cross is delivered by Eunan O'Kane, Danny Blanchett manages to make a clearance.
58:34 Foul by Lee Mansell on Lee Bell, free kick awarded.
58:34 GOAL - Danny Shelley:Torquay 2 - 1 Crewe Danny Shelley grabs a goal from just outside the penalty box high into the middle of the goal. Torquay 2-1 Crewe.
57:19 Unfair challenge on Clayton Donaldson by Mark Ellis results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Danny Blanchett.
57:19 Booking Mark Ellis goes into the referee's book.
55:05 Matt Tootle produces a cross, clearance by Mark Ellis.
52:56 Foul by Shaun Miller on Mark Ellis, free kick awarded. Scott Bevan takes the direct free kick.
52:56 Booking Shaun Miller is given a yellow card.
51:27 Handball by Clayton Donaldson. Free kick taken by Scott Bevan.
50:15 Elliot Benyon is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Rhys Taylor takes the direct free kick.
47:49 Elliot Benyon gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on David Artell. Free kick taken by Rhys Taylor.
45:45 Danny Shelley concedes a free kick for a foul on Kevin Nicholson. Free kick taken by Kevin Nicholson.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
Half Time
45:00+2:09 The referee calls an end to the first half.
45:00+1:39 The assistant referee signals for offside against Lee Bell. Chris Robertson restarts play with the free kick.
45:00+1:18 Lee Bell decides to take a short corner.
45:00+1:02 Clayton Donaldson takes a shot. Scott Bevan makes a save.
45:00+0:47 Luke Murphy fouled by Elliot Benyon, the ref awards a free kick. David Artell restarts play with the free kick.
42:34 The referee gives a free kick against Elliot Benyon for handball. David Artell restarts play with the free kick.
37:58 Unfair challenge on Guy Branston by Clayton Donaldson results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Kevin Nicholson.
35:40 Nicky Wroe challenges Luke Murphy unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Lee Bell.
33:32 Eunan O'Kane concedes a free kick for a foul on Luke Murphy. Luke Murphy takes the direct free kick.
32:18 Handball by Patrick Ada. Free kick taken by Nicky Wroe.
32:18 Booking Patrick Ada is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
30:23 Foul by Lee Bell on Chris Zebroski, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Chris Robertson.
29:48 Lee Mansell has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.
29:03 Eunan O'Kane takes a shot. Save by Rhys Taylor.
26:20 Matt Tootle crosses the ball, Guy Branston makes a clearance.
25:25 Danny Stevens takes a shot. Save made by Rhys Taylor.
23:22 Unfair challenge on Danny Stevens by Lee Bell results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Kevin Nicholson.
21:08 Unfair challenge on Clayton Donaldson by Mark Ellis results in a free kick. Lee Bell crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, save by Scott Bevan.
20:35 Elliot Benyon takes a shot. Save made by Rhys Taylor.
20:03 Lee Bell concedes a free kick for a foul on Eunan O'Kane. Nicky Wroe takes the free kick.
18:36 Mark Ellis takes a shot. Rhys Taylor makes a save.
15:33 Kevin Nicholson takes a outswinging corner to the near post, assist on the goal came from Kevin Nicholson.
15:33 GOAL - Chris Zebroski:Torquay 2 - 0 Crewe Chris Zebroski finds the back of the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Torquay 2-0 Crewe.
14:14 Clayton Donaldson is ruled offside. Direct free kick taken by Chris Robertson.
13:16 Byron Moore delivers the ball, Clayton Donaldson has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the target.
12:01 Danny Stevens has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.
11:04 Danny Blanchett takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, save by Scott Bevan.
10:51 The ball is sent over by Lee Mansell, Danny Blanchett gets a block in.
9:53 Danny Stevens is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Lee Bell restarts play with the free kick.
7:36 Mark Ellis challenges Clayton Donaldson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Lee Bell crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, save made by Scott Bevan.
6:25 Chris Zebroski provided the assist for the goal.
6:25 GOAL - Eunan O'Kane:Torquay 1 - 0 Crewe Eunan O'Kane grabs a goal from inside the six-yard box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Torquay 1-0 Crewe.
5:00 Eunan O'Kane takes a shot. Rhys Taylor makes a save.
2:24 Guy Branston gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Clayton Donaldson. Lee Bell shoots direct from the free kick.
0:00 The referee starts the match.
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