Late strike gives Alex the win

Greg Pearson stunned Oxford with an 89th-minute winner to give Crewe a 1-0 win and a league double over the U's this season.

Nick Powell's teasing run inside the box took him around the back of the Oxford defence, and Alex's new loan signing Pearson was on hand to tap in his short pass from four yards out and win the game for the visitors. It ended Oxford's six-game unbeaten run, but the hosts had been disappointing in the second half as the visitors began to look stronger and stronger. While United struggled to test Alex keeper Steve Phillips that often, Powell was frequently looking a threat. The striker sent a backward header narrowly over the bar 10 minutes from time, after previously lobbing a shot over when Oxford substitute Paul McLaren gave the ball away moments after coming onto the pitch. Oxford did most of the pressing in the first half, but just couldn't find a way through, with the best chances falling to their midfielders. Andrew Whing volleyed over in the opening minutes, Peter Leven saw a shot blocked and Simon Heslop fired just over the crossbar moments before half-time. Crewe had their threatening moments too. Harry Davis, son of manager Steve Davis, headed a corner wide from a good position, and Byron Moore saw his 20-yard drive pushed over by U's keeper Ryan Clarke. But it was left to Pearson to win it for Alex.