Crewe wonderkid Dean Ashton derailed Bolton's hopes of automatic promotion
with a last-minute winner.
The 17-year-old latched onto a clever free-kick worked out on the training
ground to lash home his seventh goal in only nine starts.
Shaun Smith shaped up to shoot but instead Kenny Lunt rolled the ball to
Ashton who finished with aplomb.
Veteran sharp shooter Dean Holdsworth looked to have closed the gap on
second-placed Blackburn with a stunning opening strike for Bolton after 62
minutes.
There looked to be no danger as the striker, on as a half-time substitute,
picked up the ball in midfield. But he turned to crack a blistering 35-yard
drive towards goal which somehow squirmed under embarrassed Crewe keeper Ademole
Bankole.
But Crewe are undefeated in nine home games and levelled the scoring in the
67th minute. Phil Charnock whipped in a cross from the left wing and Rob Hulse
arrived at the far post to slide home.
Crewe's Smith was the first to try his luck with a shot. His wicked curling
free-kick was safely gathered by keeper Matt Clarke.
The home team were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Gareth Farrelly
clearly handled Phil Charnock's cross inside the area, but referee Peter Walton
was unsighted.
Seconds later Farrelly almost broke the deadlock at the other end. The former
Everton man broke forward and played a clever one-two with Anthony Gardner but
Bankole made a smart save.
Michael Ricketts was next to stretch the Crewe defence with a typical powerful
drive forward. But Steve Foster saved the day with a desperate lunging tackle as
the striker threatened to pull the trigger.
Bankole made a sensational save at full stretch to deny Ricketts from close
range after the youngster had turned onto Marshall's clever pass to beat
Foster.
Another Marshall flick fell through to Ricketts, but the striker's acrobatic
volley was well saved by Bankole.
Before Holdsworth's opener, Ricketts nearly broke the deadlock with a header
from a long throw-in but Bankole made the catch.
Then in the final minutes, with the scores tied at 1-1, Neil Sorvel almost
scored with a terrific shot which cannoned off the post.
It looked like both sides would have to settle for a point but Ashton had
other ideas.
Teams:
Crewe: Bankole, Foster, Shaun Smith, Sodje,
Charnock (Navarro 86), Wright, Lunt, Sorvel, Jack, Hulse, Ashton.
Subs Not Used: Kearton, Tait, Rivers, Street.
Goals: Hulse 67, Ashton 89.
Bolton: Clarke, Bergsson, Warhurst (Frandsen 78), Barness,
Hendry, Summerbee, Charlton, Farrelly, Gardner (Campbell 79),
Ricketts, Marshall (Holdsworth 45).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Whitlow.
Booked: Ricketts, Farrelly.
Goals: Holdsworth 62.
Att: 8,054
Ref: P Walton (Northants).
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