Dons move up to keep play-off hopes alive

Wimbledon 2 Crewe Alexandra

Wimbledon kept their First Division play-off hopes alive with a convincing victory over relegation-threatened Crewe at Selhurst Park last night.

After dominating the first half, Neil Shipperley opened the scoring in the 58th minute with a powerful close-range header following good work from Darren Holloway. The Dons doubled their advantage in the 68th minute when Joel McAnuff fired a crisp effort into the bottom left-hand corner.

Terry Burton's side climbed to eighth place in the table despite Crewe's goalkeeper, Ademole Bankole, producing a string of top-class saves.

It was Wimbledon who created the first real chance in the seventh minute when Bankole saved Shipperley's well-struck shot and three minutes later he again came to the rescue when parrying Adam Nowland's close-range drive.

Dario Gradi's side found it difficult to break out of their own half as Ardley pulled the strings in midfield. The 29-year-old whipped over a corner in the 20th minute and McAnuff got a touch on the ball, but Bankole was again in the right place.

Early in the second half Trond Andersen hit a 20-yard shot over the crossbar, but the hosts were rewarded soon afterwards. Holloway curled over a cross from the right and Shipperley powered home a header from close range.

Bankole then denied Holloway and Shipperley in successive minutes before McAnuff drilled home the second goal from 20 yards. Crewe looked deflated and Andersen and Shipperley both squandered good opportunities of a third goal for Wimbledon, but Burton will have been delighted with his side's impressive performance.

Wimbledon: Davis; Holloway, Cunningham, Hawkins, Willmott, Ardley, Andersen, McAnuff, Morgan (Agyemang, h-t), Nowland (Karlsson, 90), Shipperley. Substitutes not used: Francis, Feuer (gk), Leigertwood.

Crewe Alexandra: Bankole; Foster, Macauley (Little, 78), Walton, Wright, Charnock (Smith, 83), Sorvel, Whalley, Lunt, Ashton, Hulse (S Jones, 89).Substitutes not used: Tait, Ince (gk).

Referee: B Jordan (Tring).