SAM Hughes' second goal in as many home games looked set to give Albion another precious home win only for Crewe to grab a late equaliser at the Pirelli.

Hughes broke the deadlock by getting up highest to head home Joe Powell's 76th minute corner and his second Albion goal looked to be securing three valuable points until Owen Dale launched a spectacular overhead kick into the Brewers goal with just two minutes to play from their own corner.

In a game of few real chances it was a game that came to life late on but the result extends Albion unbeaten run now to three games.

After four points from the last two games against Charlton and Sunderland it was an easy decision for boss Jake Buxton to name an unchanged team and bench for the visit of the Railwaymen who included former Brewer Luke Murphy in their side.

The opening exchanges were very cagey, Albion happy for Crewe to have the ball in defensive areas and selectively press to try and draw an error as they did in the last home game against Charlton.

When Albion did seize the initiate it was Charles Vernam at the heart of all of the best Brewers moves. Just before the 20 minute mark he called visiting keeper Will Jaaskelainen into his first save of the afternoon with a shot from distance that the keeper gratefully clutched to his chest. A minute later and the summer recruit from Grimsby sent over a wickedly teasing cross that eluded everyone inside the six yard box. A promising spell continued when a quickly taken free kick eventually found him inside the box but his scuffed effort was smothered by the keeper by the post.

Crewe looked dangerous freom set pieces with Kieran O'Hara twice getting important touches on teasing balls into the Burton six yard box but the nearest they came was a header just wide of the back post by Omar Beckles from a corner just after the half hour mark.

And O'Hara was the next to be worked when Tom Lowery managed to escape the attentions of Ciaran Gilliagan to step forward and drive in a swerving effort that the Albion keeper did well to beat away from danger.

The game had been so free flowing and devoid of delays that referee Andy Haines bloew his half time whistle bang on 45 mninutes with no added time.

Half time: Burton Albion 0-0 Crewe Alexandra

Murphy almost broke the deadlock justg moments into the second half getting a decent touch to Owen Dale's deft cross but only finding the waiting gloves of O'Hara.

The second half was settling into a pattern similar to the first but Joe Powell tried to change that with a raking low effort from range that rippled the outside of the net.

Albion made their first change to try and unlock the game on 63 minutes, Niall Ennis taking over up front as Ryan Edwards dropped in to midfield as Ciaran Gilligan left the action, Lucas Akins switching to the right.

Midway through the half and Crewe carved out a decent effort with Ryan Wintle firing on goal from the edge of the box only to be denied by another good stop from O'Hara.

The Brewers keeper was on his toes again when Dale picked out Mandron inside the box but the keeper was up to the job.

And it proved to be an important stop as Albion grabbed the lead on 76 minutes. It was a good old-fashioned set piece too with Powell sending in a deep corner to the back post and HuGHES rising highest to head home.

The Leicester loanee that saved an almost certain equaliser at the other end as a dangerous Crewe cross skewed off the head of Colin Daniel and looked to be dropping in the bottom corner until Hughes pounced to clear off the line.

Crewe levelled things up with a couple of minutes to go from their own corner routine a back post header coming back into the middle and DALE launching an unstoppable overhead kick beyond O'Hara.