Yeovil Town moved into fourth place in the League One table after a 1-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra at Huish Park.
The Glovers took all three points courtesy of a Joe Edwards strike after just 51 seconds, as Gary Johnson's side got back to winning ways after defeat to Oldham in midweek which ended the club's slim hopes of gaining automatic promotion.
The victory leaves Yeovil three points clear of fifth placed Swindon Town, but a win for Sheffield United in their game in hand on Tuesday could see the Glovers slip to fifth before their trip to Bury next weekend.
Johnson's side started at a blistering pace and took the lead with their, and the match's, first attack of the game.
Luke Ayling's lofted pass was neatly chested down by James Hayter to the onrushing Edwards, who drove at the Crewe defence before poking an effort past Steve Phillips from the edge of the box to give the hosts the lead inside a minute.
The visitors responded well to falling behind and almost found an equaliser when Byron Moore's fizzing volley was tipped over the bar by the impressive Marek Stech.
The Alex continued to search for an early equaliser and nearly found one just before the 20 minute mark when Bradden Inman's clever effort trickled narrowly wide of the target after a strong run.
In the process of chasing the Newcastle loanee captain Byron Webster pulled a hamstring and had to be replaced, before Nathan Ralph joined the defender on the sideline five minutes later after picking up a knee injury.
Lewis Young and Angelo Balanta took to the field respectively, as Gary Johnson moved Luke Ayling to centre back and Joe Edwards to left-back, where he has played in recent weeks.
The forced changes in personnel disrupted the rhythm of Yeovil who had the imperious Stech to thank for retaining their lead.
Both Clayton and Matt Tootle were denied by Stech in quick succession, before the Glovers spurned a flurry of chances.
League One top scorer Paddy Madden could not direct his shot on target after Ed Upson's through ball, before James Hayter narrowly missed converting Balanta's teasing low cross from the left.
The busy Kevin Dawson completed the trio of chances as he wastefully blasted over the bar from inside the box with ten minutes of the first half remaining.
Yeovil suffered a third injury blow two minutes after the break when Balanta had to be replaced by Gavin Williams, as Crewe started the livelier of the two sides in the second period.
Clayton finally beat Stech with a deft flick from Tootle's cross, only for the ball to drift wide of the target.
It was not to be the visitor's day when the 6'3" Czech stopper brilliantly dived to his right to palm away Chucks Aneke's effort from close range.
The Glovers almost added a second late on when Williams' drilled free-kick was deflected narrowly wide from a corner, from which Ayling almost scored his first senior goal only for Tootle to clear off of the line.
Crewe's late attempts to salvage a point failed to materialise as Yeovil moved up a place to fourth in League One, leaving Gary Johnson pleased with the way his side adapted to copious changes.
"I'm not sure it was a fantastic victory but it was a victory," he said.
"We had to change our team quite a bit during the game; there were a few icebergs out there today that we had to manoeuvre around.
"We did that and Crewe had a couple of chances but we stuck one away, and that was deemed to be enough on the day."
MATCH STATS
Yeovil: Stech, Ayling, Webster (Young 20), Maksimenko, Ralph (Balanta 26)(Williams 47), Dawson, Upson, Edwards, Foley, Hayter, Madden. Not used: Stewart, Hinds.
Booked: Dawson
Goals: Edwards 1.
Crewe: Phillips, Tootle, Davis, Ellis, Clayton (Turton 86), Leitch-Smith (Ellington 65), Moore, Mellor, Osman, Aneke (Colclough 63), Inman. Not used: Martin, Ray, West, Stewart.
Booked: Davis, Osman.
Attendance: 5,293
Referee: Brendan Malone (Wiltshere).
