Crewe Alexandra edged above Brighton & Hove Albion on goal difference towards the foot of the Championship.
A double by Dean Ashton either side of a goal from his strike partner Mark Rivers gave Dario Gradi's side a much-needed victory at the Withdean.
Ashton had already struck the crossbar early on with a curling effort from 25 yards when he gave Crewe a 41st minute lead. Kenny Lunt's cross from inside the Brighton area was missed by Neil Sorvel, but the England Under-21 centre-forward was on hand to slot home his tenth of the season.
Rivers increased Crewe's lead in the 50th minute with a decisive finish with the outside of his right foot from David Vaughan's cross to the near post.
Darren Currie almost reduced Brighton's arrears five minutes later with a fierce 25-yarder against the bar, but Crewe pulled further ahead on 59 minutes. Vaughan was the provider again, clipping a pass over the Brighton defence for Ashton to control and finish sweetly with his left foot.
Matters could have got even worse for Brighton a minute later as Rivers struck a post when clean through and Vaughan was foiled twice in quick succession by keeper Michels Kuipers.
Australian midfielder Reid, returning to the Brighton side after injury, gave them a crumb of consolation in the 86th minute with a left-foot thunderbolt into the roof of the net from 25 yards, the first goal for his team in almost five hours.