11/03/2008 - Crewe Alex 0, Port Vale 2
Gwyn Griffiths reports from the Alexandra Stadium
Crewe Alex 0
Port Vale 2
(Harsley, pen 57; Rodgers 81)
After 10 games of agonising misses as well as a few comprehensive defeats, the Man in Black was able to savour the sweetest of victories.
For Lee Sinnott knew - as did the 1,000 away faithful who travelled to Gresty Road - that this often-beaten, but never bowed group of players had walked the line for them last night.
A derby success built on skilful endeavour and commitment offers Sinnott real hope he has the nucleus of a side capable of mounting a swift return to League One next year.
But his side's thoroughly deserved win left the relegation ring of fire encircling local rivals Crewe.
Coach Steve Holland insisted his side lacked quality, not passion. But, quite frankly, after a performance like this there won't be many Crewe fans buying that one.
Their Burslem rivals have not been noted for their prowess in front of goal either in recent months, but they started the game at the sort of high tempo a derby match dictates.
And while that was lulled by Crewe's early second-half superiority when Joe Anyon was called upon to make a super save to keep out Tom Pope's dipping volley, they re-exerted their control once skipper Paul Harsley had confidently fired home a 57th-minute penalty.
By the time Luke Rodgers had bagged another against his former club - the first goal sunk by a Vale striker this year - with nine minutes left, they were strolling.
As were the Alex fans, out of the exits in sheer exasperation at their side's inability to respond and set up at least a grand finale.
It was the Valiants' first victory in South Cheshire since September 1997 and, more pertinently, ended a sorry run of nine successive away defeats.
Holland will demand his side - who have failed to score in their last four games - respond immediately at Gillingham to avoid slipping back into League One's basement zone at the weekend.
While solid defence has served them well in tough games against Leeds and Forest, they need to be more expansive than they were last night to give themselves a chance of winning some games.
Loan signings Dean Morgan, who started up front alongside Pope, and winger Joe Anyinsah could yet be the answer to Crewe's lack of potency, although neither finished the game.
And Nicky Maynard's reintroduction after his recovery from a hamstring injury didn't provide the second-half fillip Holland was seeking.
Pope, alone, carried the Alex's greater threat and he glanced the woodwork with a flick of his head after Morgan ferried over a decent cross from the right in the 18th minute.
But that was Crewe's first incursion into the visiting box, so effectively were they pinged back by the passing and industry of Chris Herd and the work-rate of Harsley and Danny Whitaker.
Before kick-off Holland had taken delivery of last season's Bobby Moore Fair Play Trophy Award, but soon some supporters were bemoaning his players' inability to put their foot in as Harsley and Herd, on orders to shoot on sight, forced Alex keeper Ben Williams to save long-range efforts.
However, the Vale captain rued blasting a free-kick, appetisingly positioned inside the D, straight at the Crewe wall.
Rodgers, obviously fired up against his old team-mates, ran the channels and harried all night to unsettle the home defence with some decent support from Marc Richards, who has also seen service in a Crewe shirt as a youthful Blackburn reserve striker.
Both Vale forwards wafted half-struck efforts at Williams and way wide of the post as their side built confidently to the edge of the box, but then ran into problems.
Anyon, though, had less to worry about as Morgan blasted wide and then high from outside the box as the half closed.
Maynard's appearance at the restart left the Luton man back out on the wing and the ineffective Anyinsah in the dug-out. But it was Pope who went closest to breaking the stalemate with a well-struck volley, which Anyon tipped on to the roof of the net.
The boyhood Vale supporter was then shaping up to finish inside the box when George Pilkington slid in with a decisive block.
Crewe's defending at the other end minutes later was less inspired. When Herd's pass slipped Richards in on the right of the box, Danny O'Donnell's crude challenge did the rest.
Premier League referee Mike Dean hardly offered a top-class display with some inept calls, but he was right to point to the spot, allowing Harsley the opportunity to fire into the bottom left-hand corner.
Pope responded with a glancing header from a Patrick Boyle free-kick that Anyon tipped around his post, but Crewe could sustain no attacking momentum whatsoever and Byron Moore and Gary Roberts were drafted on for the final stages.
Rodgers volleyed over on the turn before he killed the game stone dead with a poacher's finish. Kyle Perry, a late sub for the tiring Richards, headed down the middle and the little Brummie out-muscled O'Donnell before hooking a shot past the onrushing Williams from close range.
The striker enthusiastically celebrated his first goal since notching against Chasetown in the FA Cup way back on December 2 in front of family ensconced among the home support.
Most Alex fans will have been too irate to care...they have far more irksome things on their minds at present - like the thought their team will be joining Vale for a dose of basement division football.
MATCH STATS
Goal attempts: Crewe 9 (4 on target), Vale 20 (12 on target)
The referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Card watch: Yellow - Crewe: Boyle (foul, 14), O'Connor (foul, 68). Vale: Hulbert (foul, 61), Richards (foul, 68). Red - Crewe: None. Vale: None.
Entertainment: 7
Attendance: 5,229