The visitors had Jamaican international Ricardo Fuller sent off in the first half when they were on top. Fuller had been the danger for the Lancastrians early on and his pace and power provided some tricky moments for home centre half Richard Walker.
But when the pair retreated after a goal kick in the 36th minute, linesman Andy Garratt spotted the West Indian's raised elbow and drew the attention of referee Howard Webb who produced the red card.
Preston had shown up the strongest early in game. Fuller surged away from Walker and his cross was met by Paul McKenna at the far post but David Wright managed to block the goalbound effort.
Fuller then got his head to the resulting corner and the ball was heading in until it hit team-mate Brian O'Neil's back.
Preston had enjoyed all the early pressure but they fell behind in the tenth minute after a simple Crewe move. Steve Jones released David Moore on the left wing and the full-back hit a low cross into the box which Kenny Lunt diverted home from inside the six-yard area.
Preston came back and Chris Lucketti's forceful header from a corner just cleared the bar before Graham Alexander let fly with a vicious volley from the right of goal which struck the join of bar and post.
However, Preston fell further behind when Crewe scored with only their second attempt on goal in the 27th minute.
A corner on the right from David Vaughan was met with a bullet header from Steve Foster diving in and the ball flew into the top corner.
Fuller's dismissal changed the course of the game although not the territorial play which Preston still shaded. But with just Richard Cresswell alone up front they never looked like making a breakthrough.
Jones, Andrew Barrowman, and Dean Ashton all should have added to Crewe's tally before substitute Dickson Etuhu grabbed a consolation in injury time when his cross from the left wing flew in to the far corner past startled home keeper Clayton Ince.