Thanks to Jonathan McLoughlin, from the London Branch, for his Fan View from the trip to Crewe.

To learn more about the London Branch, click HERE.

First of all, it was a massive boost for us all to get rid of the away form hoodoo that has blighted us for so long.

A really credible CUFC mid-week away crowd saw a very decent performance overall with the look of settlement obvious in a number of key areas.

John Ward seems 'in on the biscuit' for making this a successful season and not just credible also-rans that miss out on promotion to the more 'expected or usual suspect' teams in this division.

So, first ever visit to the 'Alex' and I have to say I liked it - what I liked about it all is simple.

Crewe Alexandra as a club are in decline at the moment, we recognise that with our recent history. However, they have had very decent form for a number of seasons and also in the next league up - we are a club very much on the up and can easily attain the basis for business that has been achieved at Gresty Road which allowed them to operate in this league and the Championship.

In fact it's not too hard to see how much bigger on many fronts that CUFC are thanks to the Fred Story plan going forward, the "where we want to be" and the "what can reasonably be achieved" attitude and understanding that the club possess across the board - officials, players and supporters alike.

Don't misunderstand things - on the steps of the Shay Stadium only a few seasons ago and watching the old man - Andy Preece get us back on track in front of his massive away faithful that gorgeous sunny evening - did anyone think we'd be above Leeds, Forest, Doncaster, Southend, Tranmere, Oldham and the likes and continually quieting down the critics who won't have it that all we want is actually possible. Now, we could be looking at away to Derby, Sheffield, Coventry, Leicester, Crystal Palace, Wolves and the like, in only a few months time.

What Crewe need right now is time and sadly this season's 'time-bell' is running against them. They have a fairly young squad but it doesn't belie talent - it was there and very self evident. I doubt very much that Dario will get them out of this obvious relegation situ but I do think he will have them back fighting in the seasons ahead. His young side need a little bit more time to 'bed in' and I think they'll be stars again in the higher flights in a short period of time.

We destroyed them first half but never scored or made them pay for naïve defending and a less than cohesive midfield effort. Midway through the first half a guy a few seats forward turned around and questioned - "They've got nothing dangerous upfront, have they?" His question wasn't answered but it was fairly well remarked.

Graham was menacing and Garner an annoyance - both had three or four good chances to break the dead-lock. Hackney swapped flanks on two or three occasions and having lost markers on a number of occasions got crosses in and threaded through a few dinky numbers which split Crewe up. He's not the fitter, faster Hackney of a season ago and that injury may have affected some of that, but his pace is very beneficial. I thought losing Gall would lose us an option on switching flanks with Hackney, but Cleveland Taylor handles it with ease, maybe staying a touch deeper on the left side than on the right.

Livesey played as Livesey does - another impeccable performance and again defying how we still have him on the payroll. He'd easily make it into a PREMIERSHIP chasing top Championship side in the same way Delap has done before him.

With the young looking Crewe side I so wanted a Lumsdon second half appearance to stick that midfield together and give the passing opportunities which we relied all too heavily on Bridge-Wilkinson, backed up by Raven. Both did really well and can't really be faulted. Same with Murphy who covered well while his two colleagues strove forward to aid the attack.

Then with a few seconds left in the first half, Crewe hoofed the ball long and with a flick on and a missed clearing tackle their striker made keeper Westwood pull off two of the finest back to back, one on one saves I've seen all season. For the match it was an 'omen'. The penny had dropped and the team visibly learned that loads of effort and great football counted for nothing without the opposition net breeched.

Prior to that last attack of the half, Garner jumped for a fairly innocuous ball on the edge of Crewe's 18 yard box and the partisan away crowd in front of him saw his unexpected dumping to the floor in a heap. He'd probably caught the knee joint on leaving the ground and caught it badly again with his landing and the very near contact of his marker Lumb. Down he went and down he stayed. His match was over and at half time he would play no further part.

After the turnaround and Ward introduced the 'Dobie machine'. The skinny, bow-legged, knock knee'd superstar and recouped, forgotten son of England's most northern cathedral city side took his place up front in place of the injured Joe Garner and with his first real involvement in the next attack, coolly slotted home a lovely flowing wing, cross, side foot, net move that had Crewe stretched to the full.

Again, we couldn't capitalise and although in the ascendancy for the second half as well, Crewe were allowed to get back into it. A volleyed shot across Westwood's net, a number of missed clearances at corners and a break through countering a Carlisle attack could have put egg on all our faces. I had that 'is it meant to be feeling?' Crewe looked for an equaliser. We didn't ride our luck - they aren't so bad as to be denied any part of this game and the mid second half period was a lot more even, if not theirs at times.

We had our very usual 6 more minutes of extra time to suffer in the ref's attempt to give Dario's men a lifeline. Next away game - I'm heading for the bookies, pre-match. "What's the odd's on 6 or more baffling minutes of extra time guvnor?" will be the requested levy.

Crewe and Dario never made it count and a few counter attacks could have made a flattering score for the blues. We now rightly return to second place, and with the pleasure all to clear to see from the hoards of away supporters on a cold, cold night. CUFC had some ex West Cumbrian Supporters fly in from Orlando that day, and they made it to the ground and the match.

Most are ex-Egremont lads who run a training/sports academy out there - suffice to say they loved it on the back of the pre-match real ale's, the half time pasties and the usual shouting and bawling from the stands.

As Ward said later - bring on Forest, the lads are smiling right now.