CREWE FC pulled off the shock result of the weekend by knocking neighbours Middlewich Town from top spot.

Few gave second from bottom Crewe a prayer of grabbing their third win of the season on the lead-er's home turf on Saturday, but Dave Hanson's double will have raised a few eyebrows.

Ian O'Reilly's side had gone six games unbeaten previously in league and cup fixtures, but none had provided a test like Middlewich. They passed with flying colours.

O'Reilly said: 'We celebrated all weekend. It would be different if it was fluke, but I felt we deserved it. I said before the game if we played well we could win, but I don't think anyone listened apart from the lads.

'I also said if we played poorly we'd get battered, and that's what happened for the first 15 minutes. But then we scored against the run of play, and that instilled confidence.

'After that we were excellent, against an excellent side. It could have been 3-0 and all over if Hanson had taken another chance, but even when we were hanging on and the referee decided to play seven minutes of injury time, we could have scored another.

'The lads showed belief in themselves and I am delighted. I have been rollicking them all season. Now I will have to try to keep their feet on the ground.'

Despite the super win, Crewe are still in big trouble.

O'Reilly added: 'I think we need seven wins from our last 12 games to be certain. If we don't win at Bollington on Saturday it will have been a waste of effort.'

Keeper Steve Harding had already pulled off a wonder-save by the time Hanson made it 1-0, after latching on to Alan Brown's astute pass.

On 25 minutes he made it 2-0, smashing home after good work from Liam O'Reilly and the outstanding Lee Westwood. Town hit back straight after the restart, and when Brown and Martin Caldwell were forced off through injury, nerves jangled.

But debutant Peter Murphy came on and steadied the ship, and Crewe held on. nA poor first-half display saw Crewe FC Reserves knocked out of the President's Cup by Glossop Reserves. All the goals came in the first half - Jim Costigan notching for Crewe.

They pressed hard in the second with Simon Buckley, Costigan and skipper Adrian Peers pulling the strings, not to no avail.

On Saturday, Crewe Reserves entertain Broadheath Reserves at the Cumberland Arena at 3pm.