Crewe produced arguably their worst home performance of the season but still managed to survive in League One courteously of Carlisle United's draw with Bournemouth. At one stage a single goal from Bournemouth would have sent Crewe crashing into League Two on goal difference.
Crewe were never at the races this afternoon and a 4-1 thumping by the Latics with so much at stake was nothing short of embarrassing, especially as the Alex fans had comes in their thousands to cheer the team to the result they needed. The players won't need telling that they let themselves and the fans down today.
With so much at stake the performance was well below par and although the Alex deserve to survive over the entire season of 46 games, this final performance will act as a wake up call after what has been a disappointing first season for first team coach Steve Holland and his players.
Crewe Alexandra made hard work for themselves after just four minutes. Our most experienced player Kenny Lunt had a short pass out to full-back Billy Jones intercepted by Deane Smalley and his low drive past Ben Williams gave the visitors an early lead. It was the worse possible start for Crewe and only enhanced the pressure already on us.
We were jittery in possession, rushed passes forward and continued to place long hopeful crosses into the grateful arms of the vastly experienced Mark Crossley. That only increased the anxiety within the Alex crowd. Crewe needed to get the ball down and start playing and we were second best in the first 45 minutes by a country mile.
In the early exchanges, Crewe were holding on and trying not to concede another goal. Matty Woldenden whistled one past the post.
The Alex's first real attempt saw Chris McCready reach a Billy Jones corner but he could only direct it straight at Crossley. At the other end, Wolfenden ghosted ahead of O'Donnell but could only direct his header just over Ben Williams' cross bar. Soon after the midfield breaker Mark Allott dragged a shot wide of the mark.
The match was halted after just 25 minutes of play due to an injury to the assistant referee. The fourth official took the flag. Three minutes later, Crewe produced their best effort of the first half via a well-struck free kick from full back Billy Jones. The former Exeter City defender struck it sweetly enough with his left foot but saw Crossley adjust his feet to push his effort away.
Crewe had another golden opportunity to grab an equaliser following some neat passing involving Maynard and Dean Morgan. His pass into Kenny Lunt sent him one-on-one with Crossley but the former Wales keeper stood firm to deflect his shot wide for a corner. Lunt knows he should have converted, and it was a golden chance wasted.
The miss proved doubly costly because on 32 minutes, Neal Eardley scored a stunning second goal for Oldham The full-back finished off a superb counter attack from John Sheridan's side. Morgan surrendered possession to Gregan and when Smalley foiled O'Donnell on the half way line, the chance opened up for the Latics. Eardley, the outstanding player on the pitch smashed it into Ben Williams' top corner, and Crewe were now looking towards Doncaster Rovers and Carlisle United doing us a favour. It wasn't a good position to be in to say the least!
Crewe needed a lifeline going into the interval and both Steven Schumacher and Maynard nearly reached a teasing cross from Lunt before Lewis Alessandra nearly ended the game as a contest when he lifted a decent effort just over. Crewe went off at the break 2-0 and needing a miracle to come back from this.
The Alex did start the second half quite brightly with Steve Jones nearly finding Kenny Lunt inside the box and Maynard being stopped in his tracks after a lively run.
Oldham with a cushion of that 2-0 advantage were enjoying themselves and their supporters were in a carnival mood. With Crewe struggling to keep their heads afloat in League One, the Alex supporters were brilliant. They lifted the atmosphere and tried to inspire the players to another level. A goal for us may have changed the whole complexion of it but we didn't threaten enough.
Lunt nearly gifted Oldham another goal early in the second half with another stray pass but this time Alessandra was denied by the legs of Williams. Gary McDonald also headed a good chance over from close range.
Dean Morgan was trying to find a reply with some unselfish work but he dragged a shot after some neat approach play from Lunt and Maynard. That was his last contribution in a Crewe shirt as he made way for Tom Pope.
A minute later, Oldham scored another superb goal and it was curtains for Crewe in terms of saving ourselves. The main tormentor Eardley hit an unstoppable shot from close to 30 yards out and it was now damage limitation time.
Crossley limped out of the action for the Latics and was replaced by Richard O'Donnell. Crewe tried to test the new keeper through Steve Jones, who had a shot and a tame header at the far post but our genuine chances were few and far between.
Gregan was booked for a trip on Lunt and Roberts similarly for one on McDonald. Then with just over 20 minutes left, McDonald scored a parting goal for Oldham. He is set to join Aberdeen in the summer and his drilled shot may have taken a slight deflection off of O'Donnell on its way past Williams. The Alex were down and out.
Now all attention turned to results elsewhere and a finely taken consolation goal from Steve Jones did not change anything in the standings. Substitute Michael O'Connor, who had replaced Billy Jones, clipped Jones in behind the Oldham rearguard and he kept his composure to fire past the substitute Oldham stopper.
There were six minutes remaining and the Alex crowd went from thinking we had stayed up with an equaliser coming for Doncaster; to a period of sheer anxiety as Cheltenham went ahead and Bournemouth throwing everything they could at Carlisle. Thankfully, John Ward's side held out for a 1-1 draw, which meant Crewe were safe. It was relief all around, but also anger after what was such an inept performance to finish the season.
