Teenager Fabian Delph celebrated a new four-year deal with his first senior goal as Crewe were shunted aside by five-goal Leeds United.
Home defender Lubo Michalik was sent off in injury time for a second bookable offence and in his absence Crewe scored twice through Billy Jones and Eugen Bopp.
Delph, who signed the contract 24 hours earlier, produced two moments of magic in as many first half minutes to leave Crewe mesmerised.
First his glorious cross-field pass in the 26th minute released Jermaine Beckford, whose shot was parried by Steve Collis and defender Danny O'Donnell just managed to hook the ball away before Luciano Becchio could apply the finish.
Then Delph took a pass from Neil Kilkenny and let fly from all of 30-yards, beating goalkeeper Collis with a low, 25-yard shot that skimmed off the turf before going in off the right-hand post.
Leeds doubled their advantage in the 36th minute with another long-range effort, this time from Alan Sheehan as Collis was beaten from distance again, the Irish left-back's first at Elland Road.
Andrew Hughes played the ball to Sheehan on the left and his shot should have been saved, but Collis could only push the ball over his head and it went in off the bar.
Four minutes into the second half and Jonathon Douglas tried his luck as he drilled the ball hard and low into the bottom left-hand corner, once again from easily 30-yards.
Andy Robinson left the bench in the 65th minute and a minute later the former Swansea winger supplied the cross for Beckford to steal in at the near post and head Leeds' fourth of the match and his own eighth of the season.
Robinson was denied a goal by the crossbar but in the 82nd minute he got his reward with a glorious drive into the net from the left corner of the 18-yard box after a neat set-up by fellow sub Robert Snodgrass.
Substitute Jonny Howson should have made it six but headed over unmarked from six yards from another Robinson cross.
In an eventful finish, Jones drove in the free kick awarded for Michalik's offence, his cross appearing to go straight in as Calvin Zola leaped for the ball after a hurridly rearranged defence.
Bopp added Crewe's second with a deflected shot off Douglas in the 94th minute as his shot from the edge of the box looped over David Lucas into the net.
Former Leeds striker Anthony Elding wasted two first-half chances for Crewe on his return to the ground and was substituted to some generous applause with 27 minutes left.