Hot-shot Andy Johnson kept Crystal Palace on course for the play-offs as he bagged a hat-trick at Crewe.
The in-form striker hit the 30 goals landmark for the season ten minutes after the break when he thrashed in a penalty after he himself had been taken down in the box by Steve Foster.
Before the break the clinical Johnson had punished Crewe for sloppy defending twice in the space of five minutes. And although the hosts were gifted a lifeline by on-loan keeper Nico Vaesen at the start of the second half and a header from Kenny Lunt later in the game Palace were worthy winners.
They started strongly and Neil Shipperley tested Crewe's on-loan keeper Ben Williams with a rasping volley from 25 yards. The Railwaymen's threat was contained to a Foster header and a David Vaughan free-kick as they failed to create much going forward.
But Johnson showed why he has been so lethal in front of goal this season when he took a flick-on from Shipperley and curled an effort past Williams.
Then on the half hour he latched on to a Mikele Leigertwood long ball which was missed by Adrian Moses and Foster and the former Birmingham youngster carried on into the box and drilled a low shot in at the near post.
Crewe's defence had no answer to his prowess when he took a Danny Granville pass, cut in and curled a ball to one side of Williams' dive.
Vaesen's handling of Dean Ashton's half hit volley was a blot on Palace's efficiency. The keeper let the ball to slip from his grasp and bounce in at the far post.
Julian Gray almost restored the two-goal advantage immediately when he was freed by Shaun Derry, but WIlliams made a great block to deny the winger.
And Johnson was soon claiming the match ball after being taken down by Foster in clumsy fashion inside the home box.
Iain Dowie's side's late surge had taken them up to seventh in the table but they need to keep winning and when Lunt gave Crewe more hope by stooping to head in David Brammer's cross in the 73rd minute the Railwaymen were still in with a shout.
Vaesen had a few jittery moments before the Londoners were able to claim the three points, although substitute Dougie Freedman hit the post after being put clean through by Wayne Routledge.