Crewe starlet Dean Ashton hit bottom club Rotherham with an impressive double and claimed an impressive scalp along the way.
Ashton's pair of goals took his Crewe tally to 63, two better than ex-England star David Platt during his years at the club.
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The home side had barely celebrated loan striker Mark Burchill's first goal for Rotherham when it was cancelled out.
Ex-Celtic youngster Burchill, on loan from Portsmouth, produced a deft header after Chris Sedgwick crossed from the right to edge the Millers in front.
But Crewe went straight to the other end and Shaun Barker pushed down Kenny Lunt as he twisted and turned in the area and Ashton made no mistake from the spot.
Crewe swept ahead with a stylish strike from Lunt after 61 minutes. He angled a low shot wide of Mike Pollitt after a pinpoint through ball from Mark Roberts.
Then ten minutes Ashton added his second of the night when he lifted a neat shot over Rotherham keeper Pollitt.
Four minutes from the end Barker gave the home side a consolation with a header from Paul McLaren's cross.
Ashton came within a whisker of a spectacular hat-trick in the dying minutes as rampant Crewe threatened to add more goals.
But an impressive save from Pollitt and then a goal-line clearance from Paul Hurst kept out the youngster.