BURNLEY 3 CREWE ALEX 3

THE Alex emerged from this rollercoaster of a game disappointed they hadn't taken all three points after their best away day of the season.

But despite the exhilaration of what seemed a late Rob Hulse winner, immediately being followed by the bitter blow of a last ditch equaliser the display shows that Crewe can go on the road with self belief and offensive purpose.

Burnley made the more positive start and veteran centre half Steve Davis lost no time in clattering into Hulse to try and intimidate the young striker, to no avail.

Gradually the Alex took control and opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a sweet passing movement that ended with Charnock crossing for Kenny Lunt to drive past the keeper.

The second wasn't as pretty with Lunt again involved in the free kick which was lofted in for Hulse. His header provoked a goalmouth scramble with Steve Foster able to get the final touch.

It looked like the Alex might run riot but a harsh penalty when Foster was judged to have pushed Moore gave Burnley a lifeline. Fortunately Bankole proved up to the task when Cook swaggered up to take the spot kick and got down quickly to block it.

Jack forced a fine save from Michopoulos towards the end of the half and after the break Crewe could have killed the game when first Foster was off target with a free header and then Jack mesmerised the defence with his trickery before seeing his shot crash back off the post with Hulse unable to capitalise.

Burnley roused themselves to fight back with Mullins and Weller looking particularly dangerous on the flanks and after Bankole made a good stop from Ball the back line was finally breached when Weller crossed for Gareth Taylor to head home.

The Alex refused to sit back and defend the lead and a Smith free kick almost fed Lunt for his second before disaster struck in the 81st minute.

A tiring Phil Charnock gave away a second penalty with a challenge on Weller.

This time there was no denying the Clarets with Andy Payton firing past Bankole.

Training practice looked to have clinched the points when a well rehearsed free kick went from Smith to Lunt to Hulse to goal in the dying minutes.

But then up popped Payton with the Alex defence AWOL to put a free header past Bankole and leave Crewe with just a point when they really deserved more