Crewe 2 Walsall 2 - when the unstoppable force met the immovable object

The unstoppable force meets the immovable object.

That was the early-season scenario at Gresty Road on Tuesday night, in a top-of-the-table clash which saw two of the five unbeaten League Two pacesetters on seven points from their first three games locking horns.

And that was how it stayed after an agonising late Crewe leveller denied Walsall all three points which Aaron Pressley’s excellent finishing and some backs-to-the-wall defending appeared to have secured.

Pressley’s double, either side of Josh March’s equaliser, put the Saddlers on course for all three points before Reece Hutchinson fired home in the 92nd minute.

Walsall boss Lee Grant had made five changes to the team which had overcome Accrington Stanley in a five-goal thriller at the weekend, but there was a very familiar look to the line-up.

That’s because it was the same starting eleven which Grant had fielded for the first away game of the season at Gillingham, to hugely successful effect.

A lively start to the game saw Crewe produce the first big chance when Jed Ward clawed away Charlie McNeill’s header and Calum Agius also skewed an effort wide shortly afterwards.

But Walsall were looking a threat on the break, Pressley firing straight at the keeper and then knocking down a Reece Smith cross before Andy Dallas was crowded out.

The first half carried the look of two confident sides but also two well organised sides, with chances at premium.

When the big one arrived, four minutes before half-time, another excellent break involving Smith and Charlie Crew led to Josh Stephenson’s handball and Pressley’s clinical conversion from the spot.

The lead however lasted barely five minutes of the second half as Crewe came out strongly and levelled matters through the prolific March.

The hosts’ frontman took a long crossfield pass from Joel Tabiner in his stride before firing past Ward.

Crewe’s tails were now up but Walsall dug in and weathered the storm before retaking the lead in the 57th minute.

It was that man Pressley again, first winning a free kick out on the flank and then expertly heading home another pinpoint delivery from Smith.

Pressley wasn’t far off a hat-trick when heading wide from another superb Smith cross but from there it was all hands to the pump defensively for the Saddlers as Crewe swept forward.

Time after time they were able to clear the danger and Ward was perfectly positioned to deal with any shots on target until Hutchinson struck to deny Walsall in the second minute of added time.

Crewe (4-2-3-1): Booth; Billington (Demetriou 72), Offord, Stephenson, Hutchison; White, Holicke; Agius; McNeil (Gibson 58), Tabiner (Lankaster 58); March (Thibaut 79). Subs not used: Lawlor, Ure, Dancey.

Walsall (4-2-3-1): Ward; Ahui, Connolly, Skura (Burke 45), Hancock; Sprangler, Crew (Moore 66); Simper, Dallas (Sodje 66), Smith (Adomah 81); Pressley. Subs not used: Wooster, Maher, Furlong.

Referee: Oliver Mackey.

Attendance: 4,918 (1,127 away).