Two goals from Jordan Bowery either side of a Charlie Kirk strike as Forest Green Rovers arrived at the Alexandra Stadium despite a goal from Dayle Grubb in the second-half.
Manager David Artell made 3 changes from Saturday`s defeat to Coventry City as full-backs Jamie Sterry and Zoumana Bakayago and striker Shaun Miller all missed out with midfielders Callum Ainley and Tom Lowery as well as striker Harry McKirdy coming into the side, Perry Ng moved to right-back with Harry Pickering moving to left-back.
The opening chance of the game came in the 5th minute as former Crewe youngster Chris Clements volleyed a shot wide of Ben Garratt`s goal. Crewe`s first chance came on 19 minutes as Pickering`s half-volley from 30 yards came off the post before Scott Laird shot wide a minute later for the visitors. Ng went close with another left-footed effort before Bowery got the first goal of the game a minute from half-time as he headed home a Harry Pickering in-swinging free-kick as he beat Cameron Belford, on his debut for the Green Devils, to the ball.
After a double-change at half-time for the visitors, Belford produced another save from Kirk then McKirdy should have added a second as Gavin Gunning slipped as he received the ball from Belford with the on-loan Villa striker lifting the ball over the bar when he should have scored. Kirk added the second just before the hour-mark as his effort from just outside the box beat Belford into his bottom-left corner whilst Bowery added the third a couple of minutes later as his shot from a tight-angle across Belford and in off the post.
Forest Green got their consolation in the 64th minute as Grubb got on the end of a low cross from the right at the back-post whilst substitute Alex Bray hit the crossbar from a tight-angle late on.
Crewe`s next game sees a trip to Wales to face Newport County on Saturday.
Crewe: Garratt; Ng, Nolan, Ray ©, Pickering; Ainley, Green, Lowery, Kirk (Barlaser 90); McKirdy (Dagnall 77), Bowery
Forest Green: Belford; Bennett, Rawson (Brown 80), Gunning, Laird; Osbourne, L. Collins ©, Clements (Campbell 46); Grubb, Reid, Cooper (Bray 46)
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