West Ham moved up to third in Nationwide Division One thanks to a first-half blitz - but Crewe striker Steve Jones made them sweat with a double after the break.

Marlon Harewood struck twice in the first 20 minutes and goals from former Wimbledon duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Jobi McAnuff put the Hammers firmly in charge by half-time.

Memories of the Londoners' capitulation against West Brom earlier in the season when they relinquished a three-goal lead came flooding back when Jones scored two goals in nine minutes.

But Alan Pardew's men held firm to bounce back from their disappointing 2-0 defeat at Sunderland on Saturday.

Crewe made a lively start as striker Dean Ashton tried his luck from 25 yards inside the first 30 seconds, but United took the lead five minutes later with their first attack.

Striker Bobby Zamora forced Clayton Ince into pushing his shot round the post and from Michael Carrick's inswinging corner Harewood rose above the defence to head home.

Alex defender Stephen Foster headed David Vaughan's corner over the bar at the far post, but the home side spurned two good chances to extend their lead.

First, Zamora tested Ince with a left-foot shot which the goalkeeper kept out with his feet and moments later Harewood sliced his shot wide with the goal gaping.

But the former Nottingham Forest striker made amends in the 20th minute as he latched on to a Kevin Horlock pass and outmuscled Foster before firing the ball into the top-left hand corner from the edge of the area.

The Londoners now had the bit between their teeth and laid siege to the Crewe goal as former Spurs star Zamora fired just wide of the post, while Harewood's header was kept out by Ince.

Zamora and Horlock forced Ince into action in quick succession, but the dam finally gave way in the 35th minute.

Jon Harley delivered a fine cross on the overlap from the left for Harewood to lay the ball perfectly into the path of Reo-Coker and the former Wimbledon skipper drilled the ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

And four minutes before the break McAnuff opened his account for the club by drilling home left-footed in off the far post after a surging run.

Horlock still had time to squeeze in a 25-yard volley which had Ince scrambling to make another save.

McAnuff started the second half as he ended the first, but this time Ince managed to tip his fierce strike over the bar.

However, Crewe reduced the deficit just past the hour with a swift counter-attack as Steve Jones beat the offside trap to convert Craig Hignett's pass.

Jones grabbed his 16th goal of the campaign 11 minutes later when he was sent clear by substitute Chris McCready, before rounding keeper Stephen Bywater and slotting home from a tight angle.

Crewe suffered a blow five minutes from time when Ince was stretchered off with what appeared to be a knee injury, giving youngster Stuart Tomlinson the chance to shine in his first appearance of the season.

The Railwaymen should have pulled another goal back in stoppage time, but Ashton could only divert a cross into the arms of Stephen Bywater.

However, the Hammers finished strongly as substitutes Chris Cohen and Brian Deane forced Tomlinson into smart saves.

Teams

West Ham: Bywater, Repka, Dailly, Melville, Harley, McAnuff (Carole 87), Reo-Coker (Cohen 76), Carrick, Horlock, Harewood, Zamora (Deane 81).

Subs Not Used: Srnicek, Nowland.

Booked: Repka.

Goals: Harewood 6, 20, Reo-Coker 35, McAnuff 41.

Crewe: Ince (Tomlinson 86), Walker, Foster, Vaughan, Cochrane, Lunt, Billy Jones (McCready 70), Hignett (Tonkin 70), Sorvel, Steve Jones, Ashton.

Subs Not Used: Robinson, Edwards.

Goals: Steve Jones 61, 72.

Att: 31,158

Ref: D Crick (Surrey).