Crewe suffer first league defeat of season at Exeter
Anthony Scully (penalty) and Reece Cole netted for the Grecians.
Crewe’s unbeaten start to the League Two season was ended as Exeter ran out 2-0 winners at St James Park.
Alex had won five and drawn six of their first 11 games this season, but Anthony Scully’s first-half penalty and a late Reece Cole strike settled an even contest to lift Exeter into the top half of the table for the first time this term.
Exeter dominated the first half with Charlie Cummins stinging the palms of Tom Booth and George Birch causing problems. It was the young Academy graduate who was upended inside the box by Joe White on 21 minutes, which led to Scully converting the resultant penalty.
Cummins was narrowly wide with a curling shot from an acute angle as Exeter continued to dominate, although Jordan Gibson was off target with a shot from 20 yards for Alex.
The second half saw Crewe kick into gear with Gibson and Matus Holicek denied by Jack Bycroft in the Exeter goal. But try as they might, they could not breach an Exeter defence that has conceded just six goals in 12 games this season.
Exeter wrapped it up in stoppage time when Cole won the ball out on the touchline and with so many men forward, he had the freedom of St James Park to run through and smash home a second for the Grecians.