Ipswich boss Joe Royle said after the game: "In the first 20 minutes we were outstanding, and that's where we won the game really. It was hard for them to come back from that. I was a bit unhappy with their goal at the end, but that's the Ipswich way.
"It was a great performance and makes next week a little bit interesting! We think we pass and try and play the right way and 17,000 season ticket holders seem to agree.
"The players were fired up before the game, they knew what was at stake. I would still shade Wigan as favourites as they are at home and are a strong side, but I would have taken this situation at the start of the season.
"I've been successful before in the play-offs, so it isn't an issue for me if we have to go through that route, so I've seen both sides of it. I think the system is flawed, but if we have to deal with it, we will deal with it.
"We have only lost one of our last nine games, have had some big wins and we will want to win at Brighton next week, we are desperate to win there.
"It looked for a while as if it would be a last-day event and that's what has happened, so it is going to be some game. I expect a hard game there, and we haven't been quite as fluent away from home of late."
Crewe manager Dario Gradi added: "We've got to win next week now. It just wasn't enough today, perhaps we're just not good enough. Our results since Christmas show that the league is too good for us. We've looked out of our depth.
"If we came back here next week we'd get beaten again. We've got Coventry next week, they've had a good win today so that's a tall order.