Kamp 14/3:
Colchester - Crewe
16:52 Full Time - FL1 Colchester 0 Crewe 1
Match report: Colchester 0, Crewe Alexandra 1CREWE moved ever closer to League One safety with a shock 1-0 win at in-form Colchester.
Zola volleyed in for Crewe just after the hour mark after his side spent the first half soaking up a barrage of pressure.
Gudjon Thordarson was able to reintroduce Marlon Broomes, re-signed on loan from Blackpool, and Dennis Lawrence into his back three, while Joel Grant was preferred to Byron Moore.
Lawrence cut a foreboding figure in a mask protecting his recent cheekbone injury.
But it didn't frighten off Colchester's encampment of the Alex half in a one-sided first 45.
John Ruddy needed to produce two agile saves to tip over Kem Izzet's chip and a free-kick from Dean Hammond as the Us did all the running in the opening 20 minutes.
Former Shrewsbury defender Marc Tierney went close to a 12th-minute opener when he burst into space and unloaded a shot past Ruddy, but the ball clipped the far post.
Gradually Crewe began to see sight of Mark Cousins's goal and Clayton Donaldson produced a couple of efforts and looked easily the visitors's most likely threat.
Cousins was tested for the first time by Gylfi Sigurdsson's curling free-kick. The keeper dived across his goal to hold on to the Icelandic youngster's effort.
And then Donaldson's deflected effort flew into the keeper's arms.
But Colchester's Izzet and Mark Yeates were dominant in the middle of the park and it was a rearguard action much of the way for Thordarson's men.
Defender Chris Coyne broke free at a free-kick as the first half closed and powered a header over the top corner.
Thordarson replaced Danny Woodards with Steve Schumacher at the start of the second period.
Ruddy went down to turn a low drive from Dave Perkins and punched clear after substitute Scott Vernon wasted a free header from the resulting corner.
And the loan keeper threw himself in the way of Perkins again as the former Rochdale play surged into the box.
But Crewe surprised their hosts when they edged ahead in the 63rd minute. Donaldson's long throw was flicked on and Zola hooked the ball in at the near post.
Cousins was off his line quickly to wrestle the ball off Zola's feet after Grant slipped the big striker through on goal shortly after.
Colchester looked visibly stunned and lost virtually all of their first-half momentum.
Clive Platt hooked a half chance at Ruddy, while at the other end Grant flashed a shot over after seizing on a half clearance.
Schumacher's flick on crashed on to the far post as Crewe threatened a second with eight minutes left.
Crewe: Ruddy, Brayford, Broomes, Lawrence, Baudet, Jones, Sigurdsson, Woodards (Schumacher, 46), Grant (Moore, 90), Zola, Donaldson.
Subs: Collis, O'Donnell, Miller
thisisstaffordshire.co.ukCrewe Alex: Zola must be more consistent, says Thordarson
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/crewealex/Crewe-Alex-Zola-consistent-says-Thordarson/article-771231-detail/article.htmlThordarson remains focussed after win
http://www.itv.com/Sport/Football/News/League1/Generalnews/Thordarson-remains-focussed-after-win-358922168.html
