Alex fight back again

Comeback specialists Crewe Alexandra did it again with three second-half goals earning them victory against Colchester United at Gresty Road.

The mid-table visitors appeared well in charge after Freddie Sears and Ian Henderson both scored during the opening half-hour.

But latest signing Lauri Dalla Valle netted for the second successive game to begin the recovery and skipper Luke Murphy then equalised from the spot before Mathias Pogba headed the winner.

The Alex had earlier fallen into arrears after only three minutes when Henderson crossed for former West Ham trainee Sears to poke beyond Alan Martin.

Home midfielder Chuks Aneke was wide of the mark in reply and Murphy twice saw efforts charged down until Henderson chipped over Martin to increase the lead on the half-hour.

Stunned Crewe tried to rally before the break and finally called Colchester's new goalkeeper John Sullivan into action through on loan pair Aneke and Dalla Valle.

And it was the Finnish Under-21 international striker soon converting Pogba's cross early in the second-half to restore a degree of hope amongst home fans.

Then after Jabo Ibehre couldn't take advantage of a decent opportunity for the visitors and Marcus Bean drilled over, their opponents were handed the chance of an equaliser when Magnus Okuonghae handled Matt Tootle's cross inside the area.

Harry Davis had missed from the spot seven days earlier and this time Murphy took the responsibility to level through the penalty.

The Alex now sensed what had appeared an unlikely victory and Dalla Valle and Aneke both went close before Byron Moore delivered for Pogba to claim their winner with his third goal in three games.

Bean later threatened on a couple of occasions as the visitors themselves tried a response while Abdul Osman headed over from another Moore cross at the other end.

Crewe Alexandra: Martin, Tootle, Davis, Ellis, Robertson, Mellor, Murphy, Osman, Aneke, Pogba, Moore, Dalla Valle

subs (unused): Phillips, Dugdale, Turton, Ray, Guthrie, Daniels, Waters

Goals: Dalla Valle (51) Murphy (pen 64), Pogba (74)

Colchester United: Sullivan, Rose, Okuonghae, Eastman, Wilson, Eastmond (Morrison 71), Bean, Wordsworth (Massey 80), Sears (Bond 80), Ibehre, Henderson

subs (unused): Cousins, J. Thompson, Duguid, O'Toole

Goals: Sears (3), Henderson (30)

Ref: Ilderton

Att: 4,292

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