Columbus Crew interim coach Robert Warzycha’s first home match featured two things that were absent during predecessor Greg Andrulis’ final days: excitement and a victory.

Second-year forward Jamal Sutton’s first career goal gave the Crew a 1-0 victory over the MetroStars last night in front of 10,990 fans at Crew Stadium.

The Crew snapped a six-game winless streak in notching Warzycha’s first career win.

“I was very excited to be honest with you,” Warzycha said.

Warzycha, a former Crew star who is in the running for the permanent position, received a large ovation from the crowd when introduced during pre-game introductions.

“I would love to hear that reaction for the next few years,” he said.

For the fifth time in six games, the Crew scored the first goal, but this one came so late that the team had no chance to give it away like it had the previous four times. Much like Warzycha’s debut, Saturday’s 1-1 draw in Chicago, the coach used offensive-minded substitutions that gave the Crew the better of play at the end.

It would prove to be a fateful decision, as Sutton and a fellow substitute, rookie forward Marcus Storey, combined for the goal. Storey split two defenders at the top of the 18-yard box to pull down forward Knox Cameron’s service. With Metros goalkeeper Tony Meola moving to the right post, Storey backheeled the ball to Sutton on the left, who buried the chance into the vacated net.

“It almost looked unreal,” said Sutton, who is leading the MLS Reserve Division with six goals in seven games. “I just had to stay calm and composed because, just like I made it, I could have easily missed it. It was a great feeling. I can’t describe it.”

Storey said he saw Sutton out of the corner of his eye.

“I saw him streaking right behind me, and I felt like with his speed he could come and catch me and be able to put that away,” he said.

The two speedy forwards created numerous late chances for the Crew, including Storey’s 84th minute header that was stopped by a wall of MetroStars defenders at the goal line.

“I think (the substitutions) totally changed the game because toward the end of the game, (the opposition’s) legs start to get a little tired and it’s tough to defend somebody when they’re fast and coming at you,” Sutton said.

Meola played in his first MLS game since Aug. 18, 2004, and the league’s career leader for games started in net made six saves. Crew keeper Jonny Walker, acquired from the MetroStars July 1, made three saves while notching his first clean sheet in black and gold.

MetroStars forward Ante Razov returned to Columbus for the first time since forcing a trade after falling out with Andrulis and was booed heavily in pregame introductions. However, he was largely a non-factor, attempting three shots, none on net. Instead, the Crew dominated, attempting 17 total shots and controlling the run of play for much of the game.

MetroStars coach Bob Bradley, whose team was without midfielder and leading scorer Amado Guevara because of an injury, was unhappy with his team’s inability to close the deal.

“I thought we were a step slow all night,” Bradley said. “When you’re in a game like that, there’s some value to then taking a shutout, getting a point and saying it wasn’t a good night. To make a mistake at the end and see the shutout go down the drain and lose makes it especially hard.”

Crew forward Kyle Martino made some noise on offense between the 25th and 30th minutes, twice making Meola make tough saves, the second coming on a superb bicycle kick. He also set up a chance for forward Cornell Glen, whose shot made Meola make a diving save.

The Crew, mired in last place, moved to within eight points of D.C. United for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Midfielder Danny Szetela, who had missed time earlier this season with a concussion, did not play because of a hip flexor strain.

The Crew returns to action Saturday night against Kansas City at Crew Stadium.