Alex make their mark late

Mark Ellis scored a late winner as Crewe Alexandra extracted suitable revenge for their defeat earlier in the campaign with a 2-1 victory at Oldham Athletic.

Mathias Pogba gave them the lead with his eleventh goal of the season around the hour-mark but Dan Taylor equalised following a slip by Ellis with only eight minutes remaining.

However, Ellis headed in an inviting cross from substitute Byron Moore just a couple of minutes later to earn his side maximum points.

Crewe could have actually taken an early lead when Pogba headed a great chance wide before Youssouf M'Changama twice fired over in reply and both Dean Furman and Reece Wabara were denied by goalkeeper Steve Phillips.

Matt Smith also headed wide for the hosts and then failed to convert a Jose Baxter cross when he should really have given them an interval advantage. On loan Brad Inman soon missed at the other end as the opening half remained scoreless.

Alex keeper Phillips was twice called upon by Dean Furman after the break but it was the visitors going ahead on 61 minutes as Pogba's deflected shot from distance proved too much for Australian keeper Dean Bouzanis.

Oldham striker Smith soon had a header ruled out for holding and then used his sizeable frame to nod over another opportunity at the far post.

But an equaliser still came following a costly slip by Ellis with eight minutes remaining - and substitute Taylor took full advantage by driving his finish across keeper Phillips.

Within two minutes the Alex were back in front when their own substitute Moore provided an excellent cross to the far post and Ellis made immediate amends by heading his fifth goal of the season.

Oldham Athletic: Bouzanis, Brown (Taylor 65), Grounds, Byrne, Wabara, Wesolowski, Croft (Millar 79), Furman, M'changama (Montano 62), Smith, Baxter

subs (unused): Jacob, Winchester, Hughes, Mellor

Goals: Taylor (82)

Crewe Alexandra: Phillips, Mellor, Davis, Ellis, Dugdale, Tootle, Murphy, Osman, Inman (Moore 74), Pogba (Robertson 90), Dalla Valle (Leitch-Smith 62)

subs (unused): Garratt, Ray, Aneke, M. Clayton

Goals: Pogba (61), Ellis (84)

Ref: Harrington

Att: 3,451

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