Match ends, Crewe Alexandra 1, Peterborough United 0.
CreweCrewe Alexandra1PeterboroughPeterborough United0
Crewe beat nine-man Peterborough at Gresty Road to move off the bottom of League One, as second-placed Posh lost ground on leaders Bristol City.
Posh keeper Ben Alnwick kept out George Ray's header before Michael Bostwick was sent off for fouling Crewe's Adam Dugdale from the resulting corner.
Marcus Haber converted the penalty, while he and Brad Inman were denied a second by Alnwick before half-time.
Jack Baldwin saw red for a second bookable offence in stoppage time.
Prior to that, Inman missed the opportunity to double Crewe's lead late on, shooting wide when one-on-one with Alnwick.
Despite the best efforts of the impressive Marcus Maddison, who was a threat for the visitors throughout, the Alex were able to keep consecutive clean sheets for the first time this season.
Peterborough, who had won three of their previous four matches, remain second in the table, but they are now six points behind Bristol City after Steve Cotterill's side drew 2-2 with Bradford at Ashton Gate.
Crewe, meanwhile, climb above Scunthorpe and Walsall after beating Posh for the first time since April 1996.
Crewe Alexandra manager Steve Davis told BBC Radio Stoke:
"I'm looking up, not looking down any more. It's still very close down there. But we're scrapping for everything now. It's always amazing how quickly things can change in football, in just three games.
"Peterborough were very good. They've got some excellent players, but when they went to 10 men they were still good. We've done well to overcome a team of that calibre.
"The penalty has proved the winning incident. I didn't see it at first but I watched it again in the changing room at half time and you could clearly see that he pulled him back. There could've been no complaints about the second red card either."
Line-ups
Crewe
Formation 5-3-2
- 13Garratt
- 2Tootle
- 5Ray
- 6Dugdale
- 30Tate
- 24Leigh
- 42GrantBooked at 86mins
- 7TurtonBooked at 26mins
- 10InmanSubstituted forNessat 88'minutes
- 25Haber
- 29BrandySubstituted forCooperat 78'minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 1Shearer
- 3Guthrie
- 8Atkinson
- 11Cooper
- 17Waters
- 28Ness
- 31Haynes
Peterborough
Formation 5-3-2
- 27Alnwick
- 2Smith
- 5BaldwinBooked at 90mins
- 6BostwickBooked at 30mins
- 22Almeida SantosSubstituted forMendez-Laingat 74'minutes
- 17Newell
- 15AndersonSubstituted forFerdinandat 69'minutes
- 8PayneBooked at 66mins
- 30Maddison
- 7TaylorSubstituted forZakuaniat 33'minutes
- 14Washington
Substitutes
- 9James
- 10Oztumer
- 18Ferdinand
- 19Mendez-Laing
- 20McEvoy
- 25Zakuani
- 32Grant
- Referee:
- Jeremy Simpson
- Attendance:
- 3,524
Match Stats
Home TeamCreweAway TeamPeterborough
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away1
- Corners
- Home8
- Away11
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crewe Alexandra 1, Peterborough United 0.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Jack Baldwin (Peterborough United).
Post update
Oliver Turton (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Jack Baldwin (Peterborough United).
Post update
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Peterborough United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Matt Tootle (Crewe Alexandra).
Booking
George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra).
Post update
Jack Baldwin (Peterborough United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. Jamie Ness replaces Bradden Inman.
Post update
Attempt missed. Marcus Maddison (Peterborough United) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Booking
Anthony Grant (Crewe Alexandra) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Anthony Grant (Crewe Alexandra).
Post update
Michael Smith (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Booking
Jack Baldwin (Peterborough United) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jack Baldwin (Peterborough United).
Post update
Corner, Peterborough United. Conceded by George Ray.
