CREWE 1 - Pompey 3

THE PRESS seats high on the back row of Crewe's new stand opens up a great view, including that of Jodrell Bank.

The radio telescope's giant dish scans the great void of space for the merest hint that there may be something Out There. It only needed to be trained on to Gresty Road to find definite signs of life in Pompey's bid for Division One survival.

A couple of months ago, Pompey were lost in space but as their win over Crewe suggests, they could now he heading boldly where they haven't gone this season - towards safety.

This was probably their best performance since Tony Pulis took over and the measure of how they ave travelled was provided by Colin Cramb's 65th minute equaliser for Crewe.

Earlier this season, such an equaliser would have been a Big Bang; with 25 minutes to go against a team with the momentum, Pompey would have folded and lost 3-1.

But not this side. Pulis's revolution at Fratton Park has been a quiet one. It's necessitated shoving a tungsten-steel rod up the fundament of his team to stiffen the spine, and it's worked.

Pulis is not one to conduct a head count of his poultry and even after this win he counselling caution. Rightly so, as there is still not far sort of a quarter of a season to go.

One of the secrets of football escapology is to beat the teams around you and Pompey have beaten Forest and Crewe, with West Brom to come tomorrow.

Like any successful revolution, a necessary part of it is winning the propaganda war with misinformation and secrecy.

Pompey unveiled a new secret weapon in the shape of Shaun Derry's long throw. The memory of how they were undone by Tranmere's Dave Challinor provided a useful lesson.

Derry's first rocket created mayhem from which Crewe never recovered, the ball eventually being worked to Ceri Hughes whose low cross produced a dummy from Lee Bradbury to confuse defenders and provide Steve Claridge with an easy tap in from two yards out.

Another Derry bomb restored Pompey's lead six minutes after Crewe had levelled, again the ball was only half-cleared and Thomas Thogersen's shot through the traffic took a deflection to wrong foot Jason Kearton.

Pompey saved te best to last, when Justin Edinburgh's cross with pace and whip was met by Kevin Harper's head, to accompany the goal he scored for Walsall against Crewe earlier this season.

Derry, though, proved he has more than just a long throw. Pulis worked out pretty quickly following his arrival that he needed midfielders with bite for the fight, and the box-to-box energy needed for his style of high-tempo pressing game. In short, he needed Terriers and it was his quartet of Harper, Thogersen, Derry and Hughes that wrested the grip and initiative.

Crewe looked like a side who felt they were safe after four successive wins, and Pompey were in their faces all afternoon. Crewe were pretty to look at, but then so is a paper doilie and that doesn't serve much practical purpose.

There was always a yellow shirt to stick a foot in, and although the equaliser was a beautifully constructed goal, finished with aplomb by Cramb - who was sold by Pulis at Bristol City - most of Crewe's football was played in front of and across Pompey's two solid banks of four.

It may not be the prettiest sight in the world, but Pompey have discovered the art of grinding out a result, and in their position that's the most important thing.

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