Nathan Lowe’s seventh league goal of the season earned Walsall a 1-1 draw with promotion rivals Crewe amid a heated finale that bizarrely saw the Saddlers’ kitman sent off.

With both sides pushing for a winner after Lowe had cancelled out Omar Bogle’s opener, a stoppage-time scuffle broke out when the ball went out of play near the dugouts.

Walsall kitman Dave Joyce was then sent off by referee Stephen Parkinson, who also booked Crewe boss Lee Bell and Saddlers defender Liam Gordon.

It was a far cry from a quiet first half which Walsall shaded, Connor Barrett hooking a decent chance wide from 12 yards and Lowe seeing a goal disallowed for a foul.

Crewe created the best chance of the half as Bogle peeled off smartly to meet Max Conway’s cross, only to head wide.

After Gordon went close for Walsall, the Alex took the lead in the 66th minute, with Bogle opening his league account by racing on to Matus Holicek’s slide-rule pass to curl in off the post.

Lowe levelled by crashing home a fine strike in off the bar five minutes from time before tempers flared in the closing stages.