24/03/2008 - Walsall 1, Crewe Alex 1
Gwyn Griffiths reports from the Bescot Stadium
IAN Roper's stoppage-time leveller dealt Crewe a sickening blow as they were forced to settle for a point after a 1-1 draw at Walsall today.
It looked as though Crewe had put considerable daylight between themselves and the fourth-bottom spot with a hard-fought win before the Walsall centre-half struck.
Nicky Maynard's clinical finish on the hour, his eighth goal of the campaign and his fourth in the last three games, looked good enough to nab all three points.
The Alex had to stand strong on occasions and Walsall's veteran frontman Tommy Mooney was always a danger.
But the Saddlers, whose play-offs hopes have faded badly in the past fortnight, didn't have the guile to break down a well-organised effort from Steve Holland's side.
The Alex coach named an unchanged starting line-up after Saturday's home triumph over Hartlepool, but Eugen Bopp was drafted on to the bench as reserve keeper Owain Fon Williams was on Welsh under-21 duty.
Roper's fifth-minute booking for a scything tackle on Dean Morgan was all worth noting in a slow opening at the Bescot Stadium.
Darren Wrack's foul on Maynard offered Crewe a 14th-minute free-kick a couple of yards outside the box, but Kenny Lunt drove straight at the home wall.
Julien Baudet was working over-time, heading a succession of crosses from Walsall wingers Lee Holmes and Edrissa Sonko out of the box.
Mooney latched on to Michael Dobson's pass to get in behind the Alex defence and offer the first real threat of the game in the 22nd minute, but Ben Williams blocked the former Watford man's powerful angled volley.
Crewe were relying on free-kicks to mount an offensive and Roper's careless challenge handed them another, just outside the D, which Michael O?Connor curled inches over.
However, a flowing move on the half-hour almost led to an embarrassing moment for former Alex keeper Clayton Ince.
Lunt stepped over George Abbey's cross and Maynard helped the ball on and a bobble saw it slip agonisingly wide through Ince's hands.
But Williams was the busier of the two keepers and he produced a great save to tip over Mooney's header as it arrowed towards the top corner.
Morgan then side-footed a juicy chance wide of the far post after Tom Pope played him in on the left of the box.
Williams showed his agility again when he prevented Abbey's headed back pass from hitting the top corner.
And he was top class in first-half stoppage time as he threw himself across to palm away Mooney's downward header from a Sonko cross.
Pope directed a weak header at Ince after Morgan launched a deep cross from the left at the start of the second half.
And Morgan was the provider again when Maynard was offered plenty of space and time to size up the goal inside the box, but dragged a disappointing effort wide.
Walsall boss Richard Money didn't wait long to make a double change, bringing on Alex Nicholls and Troy Deeney for Kevin Betsy and Darren Wrack.
It triggered an uncomfortable spell of pressure as Walsall got the bit between their teeth. Williams then tipped Mooney's volley over to keep his side on level terms.
Inspired by that, Maynard sprang on to Pope's knock-down and turned to fire across Ince into the far corner to hand Crewe a shock lead on the hour mark.
It was the fillip they needed and Pope thumped a Lunt cross wide as the Alex emerged from their shell.
Walsall were knocked out of their stride, but Patrick Boyle's slack play let in Nicholls down the right.
But the youngster failed to muster a finish after a powerful run and pulled his shot a yard wide.
As Crewe negotiated the closing stages, Nicholls was through again, but Williams got behind his angled effort.
Yet there was late, late drama when Roper headed home Holmes's corner from close range in the fourth-minute of injury time.
Walsall: 1 Ince, 2 Weston, 23 Boertien, 5 Gerrard, 6 Roper, 7 Wrack (19 Deeneym, 55), 8 Dobson, 22 Sonko (4 N?Dour, 68), 28 Betsy (17 Nicholls, 55), 16 Holmes, 10 Mooney. Subs not used: 13 Bossu, 20 Smith.
Crewe: 1 Williams, 28 Abbey, 30 Boyle, 2 Woodards, 6 Baudet, 34 Lunt, 8 O?Connor (18 Moore, 90), 4 Roberts, 36 Morgan (7 Schumacher, 87), 9 Maynard, 15 Pope. Subs not used: 35 Anyinsah, 25 James Bailey, 10 Bopp.
Referee: F Graham.
Attendance: 4,741.