First-half goals from Charlie Kirk and Owen Dale secured Crewe their third success in four games as they won 2-1 against Plymouth.

Substitute Luke Jephcott cut the deficit in the closing minutes but Ryan Lowe’s side’s poor run continues and they have now lost six consecutive games.

Plymouth goalkeeper Mike Cooper excelled when tipping around Oli Finney’s early volley before some delightful skill from Tommy Lowery set up Crewe’s 22nd-minute opener. The midfielder’s delicate clip to the far post was met by Kirk, who prodded the ball across Cooper.

Finney was a threat whenever he got in range of goal and the Crewe midfielder blasted another effort across the face of goal.

Crewe were dominant as former Gresty Road favourite Lowe watched his players penned back in their own half for most of the first period.

They were opened up again in the 43rd minute when Dale charged down the right, turned away from Kelland Watts and cut inside before finding the far corner with a deflected effort.

Plymouth improved after the restart as Lowe rung the changes. One of those, Ryan Hardie, posted the visitors’ first shot on goal with Will Jaaskelainen pushing away the striker’s 20-yard drive in the 70th minute.

Yet the game would have been over before that had Ryan Wintle found a better connection with a first-time effort which he dragged wide.

Kirk may have done better with his decision-making more than once in the closing minutes, chances which may have proved costly as Jephcott cut the arrears with a shot on the turn into the bottom corner with a five minutes left to set up a tense finish but Crewe held on.