Moore earns Alex derby draw

Byron Moore's 80th-minute equaliser rewarded Crewe's late revival in a feisty and highly-entertaining 1-1 local derby draw at Port Vale.

Vale were keen to take an early grip on the game and Sean Rigg almost took advantage of some uneasy defending when he fired a third-minute shot into the side-netting. The home side were still shading a highly-charged contest when Crewe keeper Steve Phillips made a brilliant reaction save from Marc Richards' close-range header in the 26th minute. Crewe did provide an occasional threat on the break, with Vale keeper Stuart Tomlinson saving comfortably from Moore and Nick Powell during an entertaining first half. Vale broke the deadlock four minutes after the interval when Dave Artell crashed the ball into the roof of his own net in attempting to clear a vicious low cross from Paul Marshall. It was no more than they deserved and Micky Adams' pumped up side then went for the kill as Chris Shuker's 20-yard drive was beaten away at full stretch by Phillips. But Crewe came to life in the final quarter of the game with Danny Shelley crashing a 72nd-minute shot against a post before Moore levelled with his eighth goal of the season. Alex substitute Shaun Miller had his effort blocked on the line by John McCombe after he rounded Tomlinson but Moore followed up to tap in the rebound from four yards.