Crewe maintained their charge towards the play-offs with an impressive victory
against Leeds at Elland Road.
Red-hot striker Dean Ashton opened the scoring with a well-taken goal in the
16th minute and Mark Rivers sealed Alex's sixth win in eight games in the second
half.
And to complete a miserable afternoon for United, skipper Paul Butler was sent
off late on for his second yellow card.
United boss Kevin Blackwell made one change to the side that defeated
Plymouth, with Nathan Blake making his debut as a replacement for Brian Deane,
who is likely to be out for six weeks with a shoulder injury.
And it was Blake, signed on a month's loan from Championship rivals Leicester,
who had the first shot at goal in the ninth minute, but his 30-yard shot cleared
the crossbar.
David Healy, playing up front once again, went closer to breaking the deadlock
shortly afterwards but his right-footed effort just missed the near post.
But Leeds, who had enjoyed successive victories over the Christmas period, let
their impressive start go to waste when Ashton broke the deadlock against the
run of play with his 20th goal of the season.
Kenny Lunt floated in a corner and Ashton evaded defender Matthew Kilgallon to
volley the ball past goalkeeper Neil Sullivan.
United continued to press forward as Sean Gregan headed Jermaine Wright's
corner over the bar, moments before Aaron Lennon forced Clayton Ince to tip over
the bar from 20 yards.
Ince had to be on his toes to tip Healy's whipped-in free-kick over the bar in
the 33rd minute.
Wright's resulting corner was cleared by Ashton to Danny Pugh, who volleyed
the ball just wide of the upright.
The visitors were hanging on, but nearly extended their lead two minutes later
when Ashton got on the end of a cross from the recalled Chris McCready, but
Butler made a crucial block.
Leeds midfielder Aaron Lennon made a lively start to the second half by
testing Ince with a left-footed shot from 20 yards.
However, Dario Gradi's men doubled their advantage in the 54th minute from a
set-piece after Gregan had fouled fellow midfielder Lee Bell.
Lunt swung in a free-kick which struck the shin of hesitant goalkeeper
Sullivan and Rivers rammed home the loose ball.
But Ince was still the busier of the two goalkeepers as he kept out Wright's
effort, before Blackwell freshened things up by handing Iceland international
Gylfi Einarsson his debut for Pugh.
Kilgallon went close with a header, while Frazer Richardson had a chance to
pull one back, but again Ince was equal to his 75th-minute strike.
Blackwell brought on Simon Walton and Michael Ricketts but any hope of a
result ended seven minutes from time when Butler hacked down substitute Luke
Varney, who looked to be clean through.
Leeds threw everything at the visitors but Richard Walker made several fine
blocks, while Ince kept out a couple of efforts from Walton and parried a fierce
Healy shot in stoppage time.
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