Crewe's winless run extended to 19 games as arch-rivals Stoke pushed them closer to relegation from the Coca-Cola Championship in a lacklustre derby.

Alex went into the match just a point above the bottom three and looking for their first victory since a 2-0 triumph at Leeds on New Year's Day.

But Lewis Neal's first goal of the season after 78 minutes put them on the back foot before Gifton Noel-Williams got his reward for an industrious display with a last-ditch second.

For long spells of the first half Alex were actually the better side and had only themselves to blame as Andy White and Mark Rivers spurned gilt-edged chances.

In the end, however, it was another disappointing afternoon for the hosts as Brighton's late equaliser at home to West Ham left them only out of the relegation picture on goal difference.

In a frantic first few minutes the hosts' nerves were clear and they could have found themselves immediately behind when Noel-Williams headed straight at goalkeeper Clayton Ince from six yards before Chris Greenacre spurned the rebound.

But gradually Crewe found their rhythm.

After six minutes David Vaughan flighted a dangerous cross into the box that was just too high for striker White before Luke Varney narrowly failed to get on the end of a curling free-kick when Rivers - in the side in place of the injured Steve Jones - was bundled over by Gerry Taggart.

Then close to the quarter-hour mark Crewe had the ball in the net but White's effort from an inswinging corner was rightly chalked off by the referee for a push on Steve Simonsen.

As the half progressed Alex's distribution in the final third increasingly let them down as Taggart and defensive partner Michael Duberry mopped up everything that was thrown at them with relative ease.

It was not until the 35th minute that either side carved out another chance of note, and even then Rivers miscued wildly past the post after being teed up by Varney on the edge of the box.

But in the dying minutes of the half Taggart, playing with a broken toe, should have given the Potters the lead against the run of play as he failed to get a clean connection on a Darel Russell cross.

Having been on the back foot for the majority of the first half, Stoke lifted the pace after the break and in quick succession Russell, Greenacre and Neal all fired close.

On-loan Southampton striker Kenwyne Jones then drilled left-footed from right edge of the area after 55 minutes but Ince was up to the test.

A spell of pressure from the Potters ensued and from their third corner in quick succession Ince had to be alert again to claim the ball from Neal's inswinging cross.

But it was still a game that was crying out for a flash of inspiration from someone.

Noel-Williams had a glorious chance to provide just that after 71 minutes when he headed a cross from substitute Michael Ricketts - on a minute earlier for Jones - wide of the target.

Then seven minutes later, after Vaughan had spurned arguably the home side's best chance of the match as he flashed wide of the post, finally a goal arrived. Neal stole in front of his marker in the area to nod home after Greenacre's intelligent knock-down from a Noel-Williams cross.

Things had swung decisively in the Potters' favour and soon after Alex old-boy Dave Brammer unleashed a stinging shot from distance that Ince did well to hold.

With two minutes left, though, it was all wrapped up as Noel-Williams turned his marker on the edge of the box and rifled into the corner.

Teams

Crewe Ince, Moss, McCready, Murdock (Walker 45), Tonkin, Rivers, Sorvel, Lunt, Vaughan, Varney, White (Higdon 67).

Subs Not Used: Billy Jones, Williams, Gary Roberts.

Stoke Simonsen, Henry, Duberry, Taggart, Clarke, Greenacre, Brammer, Russell, Neal, Jones (Ricketts 71), Noel-Williams.

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Clark, Paterson, Dickinson.

Booked: Henry.

Goals: Neal 79, Noel-Williams 89.

Att: 9,166

Ref: R Beeby (Northamptonshire).