CREWE progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup despite playing most of tonight's tie at Hartlepool with 10 men.

The Alex overcame the setback of having Billy Sass-Davies red carded early on with Callum Ainley striking the decisive blow soon after the interval.

Sass-Davies was one of six changes boss Dave Artell made from the opening day draw with Cheltenham, but the centre-half blotted his copybook at Victoria Park by pulling back Pools striker Tyler Burey as he broke clear in the 13th minute.

Crewe regrouped with Donervon Daniels drafted into the rearguard at the expense of frontman Chris Long and they managed to weather some first-half pressure from their League Two hosts.

Former Alex loanee Jamie Sterry crashed a free kick onto the bar for the north-easterners.

After the break, though, it was Ainley providing a touch of class when volleying home the only goal of the first-round tie from inside the box (49).

• Meanwhile, off-the-pitch Crewe announced a boardroom change today with Mark Bowler stepping down after 18-months' service as a director.

The 51-year-old joined the newly-formed board after the buy-out of majority shareholder Norman Hassall was completed in February 2020.

He has been thanked for his support during the "financial restructure" of the club.

His father and long-serving club chairman, John Bowler, resigned in March this year after the publication of the Sheldon review, which raised serious doubt the former Alex supremo and former members of the board did enough to prevent serial paedophile Barry Bennell's harmful impact more than three decades ago.

Alison Bowler, the former chairman's daughter who held the role of business operations manager, also left the club several months ago.

Crewe Alex's statement said: "The board of Crewe Alexandra can confirm that due to business workload and personal reasons, Mark Bowler has stepped down as a director from Crewe Alexandra Group Limited, including Crewe Alexandra Football Club.

"We would like to thank Mark for his support, particularly during the reorganisation and financial restructure of the Crewe Alexandra Group in February 2020."