Crewe goalkeeper Beadle keeps Walsall in check in stalemate

Draw specialists Walsall and Crewe battled out a 0-0 Sky Bet League Two stalemate at Bescot Stadium.

Crewe’s 13th League Two draw this season – a division high – saw them slip to 18th while Walsall’s sixth draw in seven did little to aid the 13th-placed Saddlers’ fading play-off hopes.

Walsall created the first chance eight minutes in, Isaac Hutchinson latching on to Donervon Daniels’ long ball but his shot was well saved by the legs of debutant 18-year-old keeper James Beadle.

Hutchinson twice went close from distance before Crewe thought they were ahead in first-half stoppage time as Elliott Nevitt’s flick-on was poked home by ex-Walsall loanee Dan Agyei at the far post but he was flagged offside.

After the break, Walsall’s Robbie Willmott curled a free-kick inches over and Beadle, on loan from Brighton and making his Football League bow, made a smart near-post stop from Hutchinson.

Beadle denied Hutchinson twice more before Crewe almost won it at the death but Saddlers keeper Owen Evans clawed away Rod McDonald’s looping first-time effort from a corner.