Former Crewe favourite Dele Adebola returned to kill off his old club with a
70th minute strike in an entertaining match at the Alexandra Stadium.
The Birmingham striker was first to react after Crewe keeper Jason Kearton
spilled Simon Charlton's speculative drive.
Adebola's strike added to earlier efforts from Bryan Hughes and Martin
O'Connor from the spot, to give the visitors three deserved points.
Crewe had taken the lead on 19 minutes through a Steve McAuley header.
But Birmingham equalised in controversial fashion on the stroke of half-time
when David Wright brought down Isiah Rankin in the box.
Much to the anger of the Crewe players and fans, the referee had no hesitation
in pointing to the spot and O'Connor stepped up to sent the resultant spot-kick
past Jason Kearton.
The visitors started the second half brightly with Hughes giving them a
deserved lead on 54 minutes.
Simon Charlton carved up the Alex defence and threaded a neat through-ball
through to the Birmingham winger, who turned and place the ball between
Kearton's legs.
The goal forced Crewe boss Dario Gradi to signal his attacking intentions with
a change to a 3-4-3 formation and an addition of a further two attacking
players, Colin Little and Paul Tait.
However the decision backfired on 70 minutes when Adebola popped up to kill
off Crewe's brave challenge after Mark Feran had gone inches wide of equalising
with a free header.
However Crewe did not give up and thought they had been given a life-line when
Marcus Bignott struck in the 72nd minute.
But the joy was to be short-lived as the goal was disallowed for offside.
Crewe continued to press with both Tait and Mark Rivers going close in the
dying seconds.
Their pressure paid off five minutes into injury time when McAuley arrived at
the far post to power home a Kenny Lunt corner.
It proved scant consolation though for Alex after a battling display but the visitors
deserved to pick up the win which bolsters their play-off chances.
Teams
Crewe: Kearton, Bignot, Foran, Macauley, S. Wright (Tait 58),
D. Wright, Sorvel, Lightfoot (Little 58), Lunt, Rivers, Jack.
Subs Not Used: Ince, Cramb, Liddle.
Goals: Macauley 19, 90.
Birmingham: Bennett, Rowett, Johnson, Holdsworth, Grainger,
Hughes, O'Connor, Hyde (Lazaridis 46), Charlton,
Adebola (Marcelo 82), Rankin (Gill 80).
Subs Not Used: Poole, Purse.
Booked: O'Connor.
Goals: O'Connor 45 pen, Hughes 54, Adebola 70.
Att: 6,289
Ref: M Brandwood (Lichfield).
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