Derby County 2 Crewe Alexandra 4

Last updated : 28 August 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Derby County pressed the self destruct button and were booed off the field by their fans after a shocking performance against Crewe Alexandra.

The visitors had too much pace and invention upfront for the home defence, who did little to help themselves by gifting the Alex three goals.

Steve Jones, a player Derby tried to sign last season, scored twice and Dean Ashton capped an excellent afternoon with a Crewe's third.

David Vaughan got the other from a free-kick and although Derby drew level shortly after the break, more dreadful defending condemned them to another home defeat.

Unless the Rams can tighten up in defensive areas they will face another season struggling in the bottom half of the division.

Burley's team have now conceded eight goals in three home games and that is a recipe for disaster.

Crewe began the match with three upfront and the tactic worked when Steve Jones was given an alarming amount of room 18 yards out to bend a right foot shot past Lee Grant.

Vaughan doubled the lead in the 11th minute when his 20-yard free-kick went in off the left hand post, but Derby responded when Marcus Tudgay scored with a near post header in the 16th minute.

Lee Camp made an excellent double save to keep the Rams in the game and Ashton had a header cleared off the line as the home defence struggled to cope with Crewe's lively strikers.

But 25 seconds into the second half, Inigo Idiakez scored at the second attempt after a clever flick from Tudgay sent him through.

Derby still looked vulnerable and they were pulled apart by an excellent move in the 77th minute that saw Steve Jones pull the ball back for Ashton to head into an empty net.

The match was settled seven minutes from full-time when two Derby defenders hesitated and Steve Jones nipped in to knock the ball past Camp.