BRAD Inman's horrific last-minute penalty miss on Blackpool's second most recent visit to Gresty Road summed up Crewe's 2015/16 campaign.

Needing to beat their relegation rivals at the business end of a dismal season Inman wasted the opportunity of salvaging a point against ten-man opposition when he fired way over into the Gresty Road end from 12 yards.

Crewe failed to make the most of their superior numbers for more than half of the League One clash after visiting striker Jack Redshaw was sent off.

Before heading for an early bath Redshaw headed the visitors ahead in the first half.

Marcus Haber conjured up an 83rd-minute leveller with a near-post flick, but parity was short lived as defender Tom Aldred restored the Tangerines' lead with a deflected shot which carried over keeper Ben Garratt a minute later.

For Inman it was a poor afternoon which summed up the Australian-born Scot's unpredictable talent; he also wasted a one-v-one when firing against keeper Colin Doyle's legs early on.

Crewe were unfortunate though when Zoumana Bakayogo struck the woodwork twice, but the 2-1 reverse left them without a win in eight games and eight points adrift of safety.

The writing was on the wall with unrest in the stands soon culminating in protests against boss Steve Davis.

Davis admitted afterwards his side faced a difficult task escaping the drop, but stressed: "It's not over by a long way. Losing this game is a big kick in the teeth and the players are inconsolable.

"Eight points is a big task with nine games to go, but we've got to keep fighting."

But they managed to take only four points from those nine and the next four games brought four more defeats, the fourth a painful one at Port Vale which confirmed relegation.

When Crewe and Blackpool met again six months later it was for a League Two fixture and at that time the Railwaymen were in better form.

Ryan Lowe's second-half effort which secured a 1-1 draw for Crewe extended their unbeaten run to four games.

The popular striker's bullet header cancelled out Jon Guthrie's bizarre first-half own goal when the centre-half headed Andy Taylor's cross into the top corner past a startled Garrett.

But the positive start to the 2016/17 campaign faded despite the efforts of veteran frontmen Lowe and Chris Dagnall.

By the turn of the year Crewe were slipping towards the bottom end of the table and after a 3-0 defeat at Mansfield early in the new year Davis was relieved of his duties. He had been in charge for a little over five years. His replacement, Dave Artell, is still at the helm more than three-and-a-half years on.

Those managerial stints stand in contrast with the turnover of the players on duty for those two games. Four years on Charlie Kirk, Callum Ainley and Dave Richards are the only Crewe survivors from the 18 named on the team sheet for the lost game, while Perry Ng and Ryan Wintle were on the bench for the 1-1 draw.

Not one Blackpool player on the team sheet for either games is still at the club.

Crewe 1, Blackpool 2. League One, March 19, 2016.

Subs: Paterson, Osayi-Samuel, Smith, Lyness, Yeates,

Crewe 1, Blackpool 1. League Two. September 24, 2016