First team coach Steve Holland had been stressing during the week that he thought Crewe had a good chance of surviving in League One mainly because in his young striker Nicky Maynard, he possesses a match winner of the highest calibre.
Well, Maynard once again repaid his manager's faith with another finely taken brace at Huish Park. It took his personal tally to 11 for the season and it makes you wonder where Crewe could well have finished in the table if he hadn't broken his leg on the opening day of the season. They are all ifs and buts. What is important at the moment is that Crewe can continue to pick up enough points to stay up.
This afternoon we took one almighty stride to achieving that goal with Maynard scoring in either half to kill off a Yeovil side, who will be keeping one eye on the bottom sides themselves especially with Swansea, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United still to play. The recalled Tom Pope rounded off a perfect afternoon in Somerset with a cool finish in the final minute. He lifted his finish over Mildenhall after being sent clear by Anyinsah.
This result and others elsewhere gives us some breathing space at the bottom of the league, but there is still work to be done. A home win over fellow strugglers Cheltenham next weekend would certainly give us one foot in League One.
Tom Pope was the surprise inclusion in the Crewe Alexandra starting line-up this afternoon. The striker was prepared to play through the pain barrier just three weeks after breaking a toe in a freakish training ground injury when emerging from the club's hydro-pool at the training ground. After returning to training without any discomfort, the former Biddulph Victoria forward was drafted back into the starting line-up with Dean Morgan dropping down to the substitutes bench.
Full-back Patrick Boyle was also back in the Crewe starting line-up following an ankle injury to Danny Woodards. Boyle had not featured since conceding that late penalty away at Luton Town.
Pope was instantly involved in the action, latching onto a super searching pass from Julien Baudet inside the Yeovil penalty area. Pope pulled it down superbly and was able to turn the centre back Scott Guyett before seeing his firmly struck deflected behind by the legs of Steve Mildenhall. With the match barely three minutes old, it would have been the ideal start for the visitors.
Saying that it didn't take Crewe too long to take the lead. Just four minutes after Pope's fine individual effort, a flowing passing saw Steven Schumacher eventually find Nicky Maynard in a wide area thus allowing him to get the ball out of his feet and curl it wonderfully past Mildenhall for his tenth goal of the season. It was precise enough to clip the post on its way in. Maynard's return to form in front of goal has given Crewe a chance of avoiding relegation this season. The striker has now hit 7 goals in his last 6 games and must be one of the country's in-form players.
Following Maynard's opener, the home side almost replied immediately with the Alex goalkeeper Ben Williams tipping a curling effort from Andrew Kirk around the post. Moments later the towering Lloyd Owusu had the ball in the net but it was rightly chalked off for offside. On 13 minutes the lively Jamie Peters forced Ben Williams into another straightforward save at his near post but it was evident that the home side were making sufficient inroads down the Alex left hand side.
On 21 minutes, Crewe were awarded a somewhat dubious looking free-kick on the edge of the Yeovil D after Gary Roberts had been tripped as he attempted to make his way towards goal. Kenny Lunt struck a yard or so wide though of Mildenhall's goal.
Just after the half an hour mark, Lunt nearly conjured up a chance for the advanced centre-half Chris McCready. He had remained up field due to a set piece free kick and after Lunt's initial cross was cleared, his second delivery so nearly found the unmarked McCready at the far post. He just couldn't adjust his footing to get something on it after the cross had sailed over the head of Pope.
A minute later, the home side nearly found an equaliser. The rampaging Nathan Smith broke forward into the Crewe penalty area and forced Williams into another fine save. The Alex keeper stood up well to turn his effort around the post for a corner.
At the other end, Schumacher tried his luck with an ambitious effort from 25 yards. His finely struck shot so nearly caught out the napping Mildenhall, who had not been expecting the snap shot from the Alex midfielder. It would have been a wonderful goal for those Alex fans grouped behind that particular goal. Although they were often subjected to relentless showers, with the aid of a drum they sang their hearts out.
The first half drew to a close with the Railwaymen narrowly in front at Huish Park. Another 45 minutes like that would have done us.
The first real chance of the second half, very much to that of the first half fell to Pope. A clever little flick from winger Joe Anyinsah fed Gary Roberts down the right hand side and his deflected cross was met by the head of Pope, who saw his goal bound effort tipped over by Mildenhall.
Amazingly seven minutes into the second half, Maynard scored his second goal of the afternoon. The striker latched onto a pass from Schumacher before lifting it over the advanced Mildenhall. His deft touch looped up and over the Yeovil keeper, and took an agonizing age before it dropped into the unguarded net. Crewe had the cushion of a 2-0 lead.
That second goal resulted in a frustrating lunge on Gary Roberts and a booking for Yeovil's Marc Bircham. Russell Slade elected to make a couple of changes with Andrew Kirk and Stephen Maher making way for Terry Skiverton and Aidan Downes. The substitutions didn't go down too well with the locals!
Maynard turned provider on 70 minutes with his accurate pass finding Anyinsah. The on-loan winger from Preston did everything right in turning back inside but his final shot just lacked the power and accuracy to really test Mildenhall. Moments later, the lively Maynard, in search of a hat-trick saw a powerful shot blocked by the lunging Skiverton.
Russell Slade made his final change on 74 minutes with winger Peters being replaced by Marvin Williams. Almost immediately from a free-kick, Lloyd Owusu seemed to have bundled Ben Williams and the ball into the net following a towering header from Skiverton at the far post. If it wasn't a foul on Williams (which it looked) then did the ball actually cross the line? Everyone seemed to stand still, but the assistant waved play on and Crewe had escaped a late scare.
Sadly, Owusu was left in agony after falling awkwardly on his ankle. The Alex players Boyle and Roberts instantly signalled for a stretcher. The forward was clearly in some discomfort. With Slade having already introduced three subs, they had to see out the final 10 minutes with just ten men.
Crewe were never in much danger towards the end of the game, and Pope killed them off with his 7th goal of a fine campaign. Joe Anyinsah raced clear down his flank before releasing the virtually unmarked Pope. As the Yeovil defender tried to get across to make it difficult for him, he calmly lifted it over Mildenhall for 3-0. It was all over and the excellent Alex fans were still singing.
There was still enough time for Maynard and then Roberts to force Mildenhall into two more decent saves. Daniel O'Donnell also got onto the pitch for Anyinsah.
