Match ends, Colchester United 2, Crewe Alexandra 3.
ColchesterColchester United2CreweCrewe Alexandra3
Ryan Lowe scored a stoppage-time winner as League One's bottom club Crewe came from 2-0 down to beat Colchester.
The 37-year-old striker, who returned to Crewe on loan from Bury on Monday, lobbed Jamie Jones from outside the box to complete a remarkable comeback.
Callum Harriott put the U's ahead from 25 yards and George Moncur doubled the lead with a close-range rebound.
Marcus Haber set up Ryan Colclough to go 2-1. Haber then buried a cross from Lowe, who topped it with the winner.
The turning point of the game was Lowe's arrival on the pitch as a 56th minute substitute.
Within five minutes, Crewe's top scorer Colclough had scored his sixth goal of the season from Haber's headed knockdown.
Then came Lowe's contribution as he set up Haber's 80th minute equaliser before latching onto Billy Bingham's though ball to lob home from 25 yards three minutes into injury time.
Steve Davis's Crewe, beaten 5-1 at home by Peterborough on Saturday, move level on points with 23rd-placed Blackpool, three points adrift of safety, while Colchester drop to 19th.
Crewe manager Steve Davis told BBC Radio Stoke:
"Ryan Lowe coming on made the difference. He squared for Marcus Haber to score the equaliser, then he scored himself. You can't do more than that.
"There was no better person to be put through to do what he did after Billy Bingham put him through. He did exactly what we expected him to do. He's a goal scorer.
"But we played quite well in the first half too. We showed terrific spirit and fight. I can't fault anything the lads did in terms of effort and workrate.
"I was pleased for Marcus Haber to get his goal and Ryan Colclough was excellent. He bobs and weaves. He's the one player we've got who can get something out of nothing."
Line-ups
Colchester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 12Jones
- 14Olufemi
- 15Kent
- 18Eastman
- 3Briggs
- 4Edwards
- 20Lapslie
- 11Massey
- 10Moncur
- 31Harriott
- 9PorterSubstituted forBonneat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Elokobi
- 7Wright
- 19Bonne
- 21Sembie-Ferris
- 27Curtis
- 28Ambrose
- 33Parish
Crewe
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Garratt
- 2Turton
- 5RaySubstituted forKingsleyat 90'minutes
- 6Nugent
- 3Guthrie
- 16King
- 20Jones
- 18Bingham
- 24WilsonSubstituted forLoweat 56'minutes
- 9Haber
- 27Colclough
Substitutes
- 7Lowe
- 11Cooper
- 14Saunders
- 17Kingsley
- 19Baillie
- 21Wintle
- 30Nizic
- Referee:
- Chris Sarginson
- Attendance:
- 2,602
Match Stats
Home TeamColchesterAway TeamCrewe
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away6
- Corners
- Home5
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away5
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Colchester United 2, Crewe Alexandra 3.
Post update
Attempt missed. George Moncur (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Goal!
Goal! Colchester United 2, Crewe Alexandra 3. Ryan Lowe (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box to the high centre of the goal following a fast break.
Post update
Foul by Matthew Briggs (Colchester United).
Post update
Ryan Lowe (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. Stephen Kingsley replaces George Ray because of an injury.
Post update
Delay in match George Ray (Crewe Alexandra) because of an injury.
Post update
Attempt missed. Tom Lapslie (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ryan Colclough (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Colchester United. Macauley Bonne replaces Chris Porter.
Post update
Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Tosin Olufemi.
Post update
Foul by Tosin Olufemi (Colchester United).
Post update
Ryan Colclough (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by George Moncur (Colchester United).
Post update
James Jones (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Tosin Olufemi (Colchester United).
Post update
Ryan Colclough (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Colchester United 2, Crewe Alexandra 2. Marcus Haber (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ryan Lowe.
