Crewe Alexandra vs Stevenage. Sky Bet League Two.
Alexandra StadiumAttendance4,263.
Saturday 7 March 2020 18:28, UK
Crewe moved to the top of the Sky Bet League Two table after a comfortable 3-1 win over bottom club Stevenage.
Chris Porter headed the Cheshire side ahead in the first half and second-half goals from Charlie Kirk and Ryan Wintle elevated the Railwaymen above Swindon on goal difference. Charlie Carter got a late consolation for the visitors.
It was one-way traffic at Gresty Road with Paul Farman coming to the rescue of Stevenage on several occasions.
The visiting keeper made a double early save when keeping out Callum Ainley's shot and then Daniel Powell's chip which he pushed over the bar.
But Farman was beaten by Porter's downward header in the 15th minute after James Jones picked out the frontman in the six-yard box with a hanging cross.
Minutes later an offside flag saved Porter the embarrassment of rapping the underside of the bar when he was left with the goal gaping in front of him.
As Crewe continued to dominate Kirk was thwarted by Farman at the keeper's near post and Powell wasted a gilt-edged chance when latching onto Kirk's cross at the far post only to hit the side netting.
After the break Farman used his legs to deny Kirk who had raced clear on the left.
But when Harry Pickering pulled the ball back from the byline the keeper failed to get a glove on Kirk's rasping drive and the ball crept over the line for Crewe's second with 63 minutes gone.
Within minutes the new leaders were out of sight when Wintle's lofted drive from 25 yards clipped the underside of the bar and landed in the net.
Carter's low drive which flew under Will Jaaskelainen gave Stevenage a late consolation with a minute to go.
