Crewe maintained their steady climb up the Nationwide League Division One table as they marked their first ever league visit to West Brom by collecting three deserved points.

A 22nd-minute header from Colin Little enabled Crewe to take their points tally to 13 in their last six matches and left new Albion boss Denis Smith still chasing his first league success since taking over at The Hawthorns.

West Brom have claimed only two points from Smith's four matches at the helm and just one victory in nine outings has seen them fall away from the promotion race.

But Crewe battled hard and wasted a golden chance after just three minutes when full-back Shaun Smith missed from the penalty spot.

Tony Dobson upended Gareth Whalley in the area to concede the spot-kick but Smith's low, hard shot was stopped by a marvellous one-handed save from goalkeeper Alan Miller.

Miller then made another cracking save, fingertipping a goalbound header from Ashley Westwood over the crossbar.

But Albion's unbeaten three-match run came to an end after a corner from Seth Johnson had been flicked on by Westwood and Little found the target with a back-header.

After the break, Albion showed more urgency, with substitute Lee Hughes unlucky with a 66th-minute shot that hit the woodwork with goalkeeper Jason Kearton out of position.

But Kearton then made a string of fine saves to deny Kevin Kilbane, Richard Sneekes and Andy Hunt.

Teams

West Brom: Miller, Holmes, Nicholson, Sneekes, Murphy, Dobson, Evans, Hamilton (Flynn 88), Butler (Hughes 53), Hunt, Kilbane.

Subs Not Used: Burgess.

Booked: Holmes, Hamilton.

Crewe: Kearton, Bignott, Smith, Westwood (Foran 57), Walton, Charnock (Lunt 15), Rivers, Whalley, Adebola, Johnson, Little.

Subs Not Used: Street.

Booked: Walton, Adebola, Johnson.

Goals: Little 22.

Att: 15,257

Ref: R J Harris (Oxford).