Josh March at the double as Crewe crush Cheltenham

Josh March’s double and goals from Matus Holicek and James Connolly earned Crewe a convincing 4-1 win over Cheltenham.

The Railwaymen were ahead after just 45 seconds at the Mornflake Stadium, where the visitors’ defending was riddled with errors in the first half.

Calum Agius was free to shoot and, although Joe Day saved the effort, Holicek was on hand to steer the rebound home.

Crewe made the most of a wayward cross-field ball from Ethon Archer to break and double their lead in the 22nd minute, with Tommi O’Reilly’s angled drive across goal finished by March from close range.

Max Sanders drove just over from distance and Crewe went further ahead after 34 minutes when Mickey Demetriou’s low strike was diverted by Connolly to wrong-foot Day at his near post.

George Miller, who had earlier seen a header bounce off a post and into the arms of Sam Waller, cut the deficit just before half-time when he fired past the Crewe keeper after latching on to a ball from Archer.

After the restart Holicek skewed an effort wide and Agius curled a shot just past the far post.

Cheltenham pressed for periods and Waller did well to keep out Isaac Hutchinson’s drive as it curled towards the corner.

But March sealed only Crewe’s second win in their last nine games when he steered a 77th-minute header beyond Day’s reach into the top corner from Agius’ free-kick.