Crewe boss Steve Davis believes their crucial 3-2 victory at fellow-strugglers Colchester shows that they can avoid relegation.
Steve Davis: In a more comfortable position
Alex are now four points above the Sky Bet League One relegation zone after coming from behind to beat the U's.
Colchester went ahead in first-half stoppage-time when Chris Porter controlled Matthew Briggs' pass before lashing home from the edge of the area.
But Crewe equalised midway through the second half courtesy of James Jones, who slotted home Lauri Dalla Valle's pass from close range after good work by Nicky Ajose.
Ajose put Crewe ahead five minutes later when he scored from a pass from Anthony Grant, who made it 3-1 with nine minutes remaining when he turned and planted a low shot past Sam Walker.
Substitute Jack Marriott netted for Colchester with five minutes left after Briggs had helped on a throw but Crewe held on.
Davis said: "If we keep battling away and play the football we did a lot of the time in this game, we should have enough to get ourselves into a good position.
"We knew that we had to come here and not get beaten and we're delighted with the win. We'd have been happy with a point, although we didn't set up like that particularly in the second half.
"We have two home games coming up now - we've got Yeovil coming up which is a big game and then we have Fleetwood.
"This win really helps us in many respects going into those games and if we can pick up some more points next week, we'll be in a slightly more comfortable position.
"But at the moment, we're still looking down and we're still looking at those teams above us, trying to drag a few more of those clubs in with us."
Colchester boss Tony Humes admitted his side deserved nothing from the game, with the defeat leaving them three points from safety.
Humes said: "Crewe were better than us and we will hold our hands up and say that. They were quicker with the ball and off it and we didn't perform as we have been doing.
"They out-passed us and moved the ball very well, which we couldn't cope with. I wouldn't say they created a lot of opportunities through it but we kept giving the ball away and if you do that, you can't play.
"We defended reasonably well in the first half and didn't give them too many major opportunities. I can't really remember Sam (Walker) making a save and Chris (Porter) has got us a goal.
"But we have to be good enough to build on that or at least not give it away, like we did in the second half.
"We defended poorly as a team - there were individual errors and a back four which hasn't defended well enough."