Kane Hemmings’ double helped Crewe to a fourth consecutive win with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Harrogate.
Jack Lankester followed up Hemmings’ early strike with his first goal for the Alex as they dominated throughout.
The hosts started strongly, with Mickey Demetriou’s firm header hitting the crossbar from a corner from Joel Tabiner.
Hemmings edged Crewe ahead in the seventh minute when the veteran striker latched on to Lankester's pass from inside the box and drove a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
Hemmings was then inches away with an audacious effort from near the halfway line after goalkeeper James Belshaw’s headed clearance dropped into his path.
Harrogate were fortunate not to fall further behind when Ryan Cooney was slipped clear by Lankester, but the defender poked his effort wide of the near post.
It was no surprise when Lee Bell’s side doubled their lead, with summer signing Lankester going from provider to finisher by firing into the far corner for his first goal for the club, set up by Conor Thomas.
As the half drew to a close, Toby Sims’ flicked header from a corner was kept out by Crewe goalkeeper Filip Marschall.
Opposite number Belshaw denied Lankester a second with a smart stop shortly after the restart, and Tabiner drove a 20-yard effort just past a post after some industrious work from Shilow Tracey.
The lacklustre Sulphurites struggled to pose any real threat, although substitute Warren Burrell was denied in the closing minutes by another fine Marschall stop.
Hemmings then rounded off the afternoon with his second goal, stretching to finish from close range late on after Tracey’s initial effort was blocked.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
