Dario Gradi ended his spell in caretaker charge by guiding bottom club Crewe to a 4-1 win over Hartlepool.

Gradi bows out with win

Dario Gradi ended his spell in caretaker charge by guiding bottom club Crewe to their first away win in the league this season as they beat Hartlepool 4-1. The Alex legend, at the helm since Steve Holland was sacked last month, will now hand the reins over to Gudjon Thordarson following the Icelander's appointment as the club's new boss on Christmas Eve. The visitors took the lead in the dying seconds of the first half when John Brayford forced the ball in from close range, but Hartlepool equalised three minutes into the second half, with Joel Porter cutting inside from the left before hammering an angled shot into the far corner. Crewe regained the lead after 55 minutes when Shaun Miller claimed the last touch to a right-wing cross from Danny Shelley and Luke Murphy increased their lead on the hour with a 20-yarder into the top corner. Miller claimed the fourth with eight minutes left when an awful clearance by Arran Le-Barrett landed at his feet.