Gwyn Griffiths reports from Underhill

BARNET 1 (Sinclair 40), CREWE 2 (Grant 25, Donaldson 67)

CREWE extended their unbeaten run to five games as goals from Joel Grant and Clayton Donaldson secured victory on their first trip to Underhill for 17 years.

The Alex were always a threat and although they had their fair share of defending to do they were good enough to end Barnet's previously unbeaten home League record.

Grant drove them ahead in the 25th-minute, only for Dean Sinclair to get Barnet back on level terms near the interval.

But Donaldson capitalised on woeful second-half defending to net restore the Alex's lead.

Dario Gradi named an unchanged starting eleven for the clash between two sides placed 13th and 14th before kick off.

But the interim manager handed Alex Titchiner and Kelvin Mellor their first taste of first-team duty by including the teenagers on the bench.

The absence of sought-after winger Albert Adomah from the Bees line-up was a potential boost to the Alex.

And they were soon sweeping forward with Luke Murphy posting an early warning as he drove a yard past the far post.

Then Matt Tootle took advantage of Underhill's famous slope when he burst down the left flank to win a corner, from which Murphy dragged a tame effort well wide of Jake Cole's goal.

Barnet's Albie Jarrett forced Steve Phillips into his first save in the ninth minute. The left winger did well to bring down a high ball and he cut in and drove into the midrift of the keeper.

Donaldson was briefly off the pitch for treatment, but Crewe were gaining a momentum on the unorthodox surface.

Tootle hurtled onto a through ball and fell under Cole's dive when the keeper raced to the edge of his box to clear. But referee Keith Hill ignored potential penalty claims and booked the young left back for diving.

Barnet, no doubt well-versed in an up-hill battle, were looking more inventive for a spell and Sinclair's 25-yard effort arrowed narrowly wide.

But Donaldson was offered the chance to put Crewe ahead on 17 when he was put in the clear by Simon Walton's long ball, only for the striker to shoot straight at Cole.

Yet Crewe were not to be denied and when Calum Butcher slipped fielding John Brayford's flighted ball, Grant was clear to race in on the left of the box and he finished superbly across Cole.

Crewe were good value for their lead, but suffered a fright when Jarrett's deflected shot flew across the face of goal.

And when Jarrett switched wings moments later he managed to set up his side's equaliser.

The winger cut in and drove a teasing delivery into the box where Sinclair slid in to ram past Phillips from close range five minutes before the break.

Cole got a hand to Grant's angled shot as Crewe responded and the Barnet goal survived a melee after the keeper failed deal with the resulting corner, but parity was a fair reflection of an entertaining first 45.

Phillips held a powerful header from Craig McAllister as the big striker connected with a Sinclair cross after the re-start.

Crewe had a real let-off in the 53rd minute when Jarrett slipped John O'Flynn in on the left, but the Irish striker, drove wide of the near post.

Ashley Westwood atoned for picking up a booking for a late challenge when he blocked O'Flynn's far-post effort after a diagonal ball from the ever-dangerous Jarrett.

But Crewe were ahead again in the 67th minute when Donaldson sneaked in behind some static defending from Ismail Yakubu and flicked a long ball past Cole.

Micah Hyde's 25-yard drive flicked the top of the bar and Mat Mitchel-King made a decisive intervention as McAllister swept substitute Yannick Bolasie's cross over.

Barnet made a double change up front with veteran Paul Furlong and Jake Hyde on for O'Flynn and McAllister.

The Bees were pressing for a second equaliser in the closing minutes, but Crewe's defending was sensible and composed.

Mark Hughes drove at Phillips from long range, but the dramas were kept to a minimum save a dreadful late lunge by Butcher on Donaldson which earned the right-back a deserved booking.

TEAMS

Barnet: Cole, Butcher, Gillett, Leach, Yakubu, Sinclair (Bolaise, 57), Micah Hyde, Hughes, Jarrett, McAllister (Furlong 77), O'Flynn (Jake Hyde, 77)

Subs: Deverdics, Hart, Deen, Carpenter.

Crewe: Phillips, Brayford, Tootle, O'Donnell, Mitchel-King, Murphy, Westwood (Shelley,67), Walton, Grant, Zola, Donaldson.

Subs: Collis, Ada, Moore, Worley, Titchiner, Mellor

Referee: Mr Keith Hill

Attendance: 1,841