Newport eased to a 3-0 win at Crewe to pull further away from danger in Sky Bet League Two.

Goals from Cameron Antwi and David Ajiboye gave the Exiles a two-goal interval lead and former Alex striker Courtney Baker-Richardson added a third late on as Crewe, without a win in four games, dropped out of the play-off places.

Shilow Tracey’s running caused Newport problems early on, with one dart into the box offering Matus Holicek a sight at goal but the midfielder’s close-range effort was deflected wide. From the resulting corner, Connor O’Riordan planted a header over the crossbar.

The visitors shocked the home side by taking a 33rd-minute lead with their first attempt on goal as Antwi slammed home a low drive after Cameron Evans had laid the ball back just inside the box.

Then some shocking defending from home goalkeeper Filip Marschall and centre-half Zac Williams gifted Newport a second in first-half stoppage time. The pair left a long ball pumped to the edge of the box and Ajiboye slipped the ball past the keeper and into an empty net.

Crewe responded after the restart and Tom Lowery, on as a substitute, saw his deflected shot fly wide and the midfielder then fired another effort past a post.

Fellow substitute Adrien Thibaut narrowly missed the far corner with a glancing header from Ryan Cooney’s cross as the Railwaymen dominated the second half. Holicek spurned a golden chance to reduce the arrears when he headed Joel Tabiner’s cross straight at Exiles keeper Nick Townsend.

Baker-Richardson compounded their misery by heading in a Joe Thomas cross at the far post for his side’s third in the 82nd minute to seal a third straight win.