A SOFT EQUALISER in the first minute of stoppage time deprived Torquay United of all three points after they had led Crewe Alexandra, on merit too, for most of last night's match at Gresty Road.

Chris Zebroski's brilliant seventh minute opener, his fifth goal of the season, deservedly gave Paul Buckle's young side the lead.

They also hit the post through new skipper Nicky Wroe.

Crewe's fans vented their anger and frustration at regular intervals as United, with new loan signing Guy Branston making his debut in defence, contained the home attack.

United also went forward with a purpose and might have stretched their lead before the end.

Then, just when the Gulls seemed certain to clinch a confidence boosting victory – it would have been their first in seven games – Crewe substitute Shaun Miller punished a moment's hesitation by United goalkeeper Michael Poke to snatch a point for the Alex.

Branston took his expected place in defence, to the left of Kieran Charnock, with Chris Robertson moving to right-back and Lee Mansell dropping to the bench.

Thomson replaced the injured Scott Rendell in attack, starting on the right wing.

Crewe were unchanged from the side beaten 2-1 at home to Bournemouth last weekend.

United ripped into their opponents from the first whistle, and they were unlucky not to take the lead after only two minutes.

Zebroski hit a peach of a shot from 25 yards, and Crewe goalie Steve Phillips had to dive full length to his left to tip the ball round his left hand post.

Alex dangerman Joel Grant cut past Adam Smith, and Robertson did well to deflect his shot wide.

But every time United went forward, they looked dangerous, and in the seventh minute they took a deserved lead.

From almost the same position as his first effort, just to the left of the 'D', Zebroski let rip with another 25-yarder and this time Phillips had no chance.

The ball curled into the top left-hand corner…1-0 to United.

Zebroski played Thomson in on the right, and his low cross rebounded off Elliot Benyon and Danny Stevens in the goalmouth.

In the 15th minute Zebroski again turned provider, setting up captain Nicky Wroe for a 20-yard right-foot shot which rebounded off the left-hand post with Phillips a mere spectator.

No wonder the home fans starting giving their team stick.

United were looking like the home team.

Thomson, cutting in from the right, tricked his way past two defenders before pulling his left foot shot just wide of the near post.

It was a good 20 minutes before Michael Poke had to look anything like lively.

Then he dived bravely at the feet of Clayton Donaldson after Branston slipped as he went to tackle.

That moment must have cheered the Alex, for a minute later Ashley Westwood robbed Tyrone Thompson in midfield, played Grant through into the area and he fired just wide.

It was United's turn to defend now.

Wroe had to come up with an important clearance as on-loan Plymouth midfielder Simon Walton was about to shoot.

Centre half Danny O'Donnell looped a header just wide from Westwood's corner.

And in the 36th minute a good Crewe counter-attack was only ended by Smith's gutsy block to stop Steven Schumacher scoring.

Benyon wasted a three-v-three break for United when he shot tamely at Phillips with both Zebroski and Stevens available for a pass.

But the biggest escape of the first half came in the 40th minute.

Crewe right back John Brayford muscled his way past Smith in the area, laid the ball across the goalmouth and Calvin Zola's first time shot hit the outside of the near post.

United had to make an enforced change at half-time.

Charnock had to swap his shirt just before the interval, because a bang in the face had left him with a blood injury.

That knock turned out to be worse than first feared.

Charnock did not come out for the second half, so Smith moved to right-back, Robertson reverted to central defence and on-loan Spurs teenager Sam Cox made his second sub appearance at left-back.

Brayford missed a good chance for Alex, firing wide after Zola had left him with Poke to beat, on an angle, from 15 yards.

Brayford should have hit the target at least.

But United had started the second half much as they had done the first, attacking with gusty, and after less than an hour Crewe boss Dario Gradi had seen enough.

He took off winger Grant, who had actually seemed to be one of the Alex's better players, and sent on Luke Murphy.

Smith, as he had done in a similar switch at Barnet last week, looked happier defending on his right foot than his left.

And, as ever, he supported his forwards at every opportunity.

In the 67th minute referee Paul Tierney gave a curious decision when he ruled that Branston had fouled Murphy just outside United's area.

Murphy had appeared to have fallen over of his own accord.

But Schumacher curled the free-kick over Poke's bar anyway.

Gradi immediately made a second change, Shaun Miller for Donaldson in attack.

United were at last being forced back, which was a worrying sign.

And right winger Thomson, when he did have the chance to break and relieve the pressure, often crossed tamely when he could have taken full back Matt Tootle on.

Yet in the 72nd minute it was Stevens who made way to Eunan O'Kane in United's attack.

O'Kane went to the right wing, Thomson switching to the left.

And seconds later Thomson burst past two men on that side, crossed to the far post and Benyon's first-time volley was cleared off the line by Tootle.

Crewe played their last card with 15 minutes left – Byron Moore for Walton in midfield.

Benyon's workrate was admirable – he kept chasing every lost cause and harried opponents into mistakes.

But his night was run by the 81st minute when he was replaced by Mansell, who went into a five-man midfield, with Zebroski on his own up front.

Poke had to come for a Westwood free-kick aimed at Zola, but he got there just in time, and his punch rebounded off the Crewe striker's head and away.

The only worry was that United, by restricting their attacking options, might be pushed too deep into defence.

Mansell got an important block on a Westwood snapshot as Crewe fans started heading for the exits.

In the last minute of normal time Zola headed home a Westwood free-kick, but the cheers of the Alex fans were quickly silenced by an offside flag.

Zola and at least one other forward seemed to be well beyond United's last defender.

Four minutes of stoppage time seemed a lot, but it took only one of them for Crewe to equalise.

A long punt forward by Harry Worley sailed over the United defence, and Poke was in two minds whether to come or not.

Miller held off his unconvincing challenge, Poke lost his footing and Miller had only to tap the ball into the empty net…1-1.

There was still time for Thomson to test Phillips from 20 yards and Zebroski to try and reach Platform 13 in Crewe Station.

But it was a disappointing end to a match which United could and should have won.