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With Micah Hyde missing through suspension, the first change of the season saw Lee Roche get his first start of the season and the youngster slotted in well, linking up with Michael Duff to provide Clarets with plenty of forward support to an alert pairing of Moore and Blake.
With the blustery wind in their faces, Clarets played towards the sparsely populated away end comprising some 400+ Railway spotters on an afternoon when they would have little to discuss in a positive vein, Dario's men barely getting out of first gear throughout.
The first chance in a disappointing opening to the game, saw Roche have a shot from the edge of the box snuffed out after his poor first touch denied him a clear shooting opportunity.
The first goal duly followed though and a training ground manoeuvre saw Clarets take the lead when Grant's corner was flicked on near post by Branch and McGreal headed home from six yards for his first goal of the season and for the Club.
Camara was a feature of the half, his overlapping bursts and penetrating crosses causing problems for the Crewe defenders in their naff grey/black strips.
Briefly, Clarets were on the defensive, but McGreal, superb throughout, saw the danger from Jones and cut out the threat from the diagonal ball into the striker on the quarter hour mark.
In truth, much of the opening half was dull, the game played at half pace, with Crewe seemingly content to knock long diagonal balls about the pitch to little effect. The home side meanwhile were the more attractive, Williams was the busier of the two keepers and he was scrabbling across his goal as a Branch effort fizzed past his post.
With five minutes of the half remaining Clarets doubled their lead and in the Cotterill era earned their first two goal cushion.
Chaplow was alert to the Crewe defenders preference to pass out from the back when he intercepted a short pass to then set Ian Moore away on the edge of the box. Cutting down to the bye line, Moore fired across a low ball that Blake had little difficulty in converting from close range, despite the defensive efforts of a combination of 'keeper and defender, claiming his fourth goal of the season.
HT 2-0.
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Blake's quickness of thought from the half way line was enough to put a delightful ball behind the defence and one for Chaplow to run on to. Shrugging off a defender, Chaplow drew the keeper and duly slotted the ball home with an early shot that denied the keeper any time to position himself.
This was after Sinclair missed from six yards out after failing to get sufficient contact onto an in swinging corner. The three goal lead set Clarets up and confidence exuded all around the pitch with some neat passing and a work ethic that denied Crewe any space around the Clarets box.
On the hour mark, Danny Coyne was called into action when making a fine double save to keep Crewe at arms length, first tipping Rivers' shot onto the bar then recovering to parry Ashton's follow up shot around the post.
Within a minute he again made a fine stop, this time going down to his left to save a dipping Rivers shot from just outside the area.
Play switched to the other end and after Branch tried his luck from distance, another good Camara cross caused problems in the area for the Crewe defenders and Chaplow was desperately unlucky when his ricocheted shot flew just over the angle, Williams a stranded spectator.
For Dario pacing around in his technical area, it was all too much and his supposed twin threats, Ashton (dean not David, see later) and Rivers made way for Varney and Higdon, a move that had no impact on the game whatsoever.
Sinclair tried to help the Crewe attack when his miscontrol allowed Jones a half chance, but Frank (not Trevor, see later) recovered and cleared the danger.
With a quarter hour remaining, Clarets again pressed forwards. Moore showing great awareness, performed a neat dummy to set himself clear for a run at goal. Disappointingly, he opted to take the foul on the edge of the area, instead of a run into the box and Blake's resulting free kick wasted the good opportunity created by Moore's alertness.
Walker replaced Jones, before new signing Frenchman, Valois replaced Roche, for a last ten minute run out. O'Neill replaced Chaplow to much deserved applause, then Pilkington replaced Blake, as Cotterill maximised the win bonus payments with sponsored injury time ticking away.
By the end Crewe had completely faded away and posed little threat, whilst for the Clarets this was a much needed first home win and clean sheet. The spring in the players’ steps said it all, as they made their way off the pitch.
FT 3-0.
Att:- 11,271.
Sour Grapes:- Just what exactly had tannoy man been drinking today? First we have Tony Christie blaring away, tra la la la la la la la, then "David Ashton", not Dean was substituted in a silly, if plausible error mid way through the second half. However, he surpassed himself when later announcing that none other than "Trevor", not Frank, Sinclair was man of the match. Oh dear!
Fine Claret:- There was not really a single player who stood out today above all others. There were many fine individual performances with a collective desire to play and support one another spanning the very first moment to the last; so today's vote goes more to the team spirit than to any one player.