CREWE leapt off the bottom of the table after Mikael Mandron held his nerve from 12 yards twice in the space of four second-half minutes.

The Frenchman's penalty conversions in the 48th and 52nd minutes proved decisive and Crewe's passage to a second win in four games should have been helped by TJ Eyoma's dismissal for upending Ben Knight for the second spot-kick award.

In fact, after a bright first-half the Alex laboured for long spells after gaining a two-goal lead and boss Dave Artell was critical in his post-match analysis. But fortunately goal-shy Lincoln undid most of their good work with poor finishing in both halves to let the Alex off the hook.

Hakeen Adelukan wasted an early chance, although Dave Richards did well off his line to prevent the attacker finishing off Chris Maguire's cross.

Crewe lost Chris Porter to an injury in the warm-up with the veteran frontman replaced by loanee Knight, who continued where he left off in last week's Papa John's Trophy tie with Doncaster.

The teenager was involved in Crewe's best moments of the night. He appealed in vain for a penalty after arriving in the box to drive Callum Ainley's cutback against a visiting defender's midrift.

With Porter's exit Mandron was left shouldering the main attacking responsibility and the big Frenchman may have done better after seizing on a loose pass to break clear on the left of the box, only to drive rather tamely into the arms of keeper Josh Griffiths.

A free kick a couple of yards outside the box offered Knight a chance to show his shooting prowess, but the teenager lofted high and not very handsomely over.

Mandron wasted a great chance just before the interval after a scintillating exchange of passes from Tommy Lowery and Oli Finney. The latter clipped the ball behind the last defender for the big striker who opened up his body to pick out a finish but sent the ball sailing over the far corner.

But Mandron made up for his miss with some dead-eye accuracy from the penalty spot, twice in the space of a matter of minutes soon after the interval.

Lincoln were left not only trailing by two goals, but down to 10 men after defender Eyoma's straight red for a trip on the flying Knight.

The first spot kick appeared a rather generous award by referee Declan Bourne with Lewis Montsma adjudged to have impeded Billy Sass-Davies' attempt to get onto a long free kick that was headed back across the visiting box.

There was no doubt about the second as Eyoma was reckless intervening as Knight raced into the box after a give-and-go with Lowery.

Mandron drove the first spot kick high into the corner (48) and put the second in the same place, beyond keeper Josh Griffiths (52).

Adelukan and Maguire, presented with only Richards to beat in front of them, both wasted shooting chances in quick succession which might have cut the arrears.

But while Lincoln had a lot of the play, Crewe were able to negotiate the last half an hour with a minimum of drama.

In fact, Mandron could have had his hat-trick but Griffiths did well to repel an angled effort across goal.

Alex boss Artell admitted: "I thought we were comfortable against 11 men but uncomfortable against 10 men for 20 minutes.

"It is probably the worst we've played in the last four games. I was disappointed with the decision making after the second goal and there were too many shots on our goal.

"It takes the gloss off it a bit. But the lads worked their socks off and if we keep that up we will be okay. I think we have turned the corner.

"The second penalty was a no brainer, but I would have been disappointed if the first one was given against us. But you get the luck sometimes if you get the ball up into those areas."

Crewe: Richards; Offord, Sass-Davies, Williams; Ainley (Johnson), Lowery, Griffiths (Murphy), Finney (Robertson), Adebisi; Mandron, Knight Subs: Jaaskelainen, Thomas, Johnson, Lundstram, Gomes.

Lincoln: Griffiths; Poole, Montsma, Jackson (Eyoma), Robson (Fiorini); McGrandles, Bishop, Bridcutt (Sorenson); Adelukan (N'Lundulu), Maguire, Bramall Subs: Sanders, Longdon, Long

Attendance: 3,825