Jimmy Keohane’s first goal of the season earned Dale a point on the road at Crewe Alexandra.

Despite having the better of the first-half it was goalless at the break, and with less than 20 minutes remaining the hosts took the lead through Rio Adebisi’s header.

Keohane grabbed the leveller with ten minutes to go, following up his own header which came back off the upright.

Connor O’Riordan saw red for the hosts late on and Dale almost grabbed a late winner, but for some heroic Crewe defending.

Ethan Brierley and Ian Henderson returned to the starting line-up, as Jim Bentley made two changes from the side that started Tuesday’s game against Stockport County.

Dale came flying out of the blocks, almost taking the lead inside the first 60 seconds.

Owen Dodgson saw a deflected effort tipped onto the woodwork by Crewe goalkeeper James Beadle, who got back to his feet quickly to deny Henderson’s follow up.

The stopper, on loan from Brighton, then made a fine save to deny Danny Lloyd’s effort which was bound for the far bottom corner.

From the resulting corner, Devante Rodney got a shot away, but Beadle was able to hold.

Joel Tabiner fired a 25-yard free-kick narrowly off target before Lloyd hit a set piece from a similar distance into the wall.

Jake Eastwood was called into action for the first time just after the hour mark, getting something on Tabiner’s low shot, before Dodgson cleared from danger.

Tariq Uwakwe sliced a shot well over and Rio Adebisi headed narrowly wide of the Dale goal from close range before the first period was up.

After the break, the hosts sent a number of efforts off target, through Elliott Nevitt, Dan Agyei and Uwakwe, with Nevitt seeing a header held by Eastwood.

Scott Quigley was introduced in place of Abraham Odoh on the hour mark, but the hosts took the lead just over 10 minutes later, when Adebisi headed home a cross from the right wing.

However, with ten minutes remaining, Dale levelled. Mullarkey’s cross from the right was headed onto the upright by Keohane, who followed it up to turn home from close range.

Femi Seriki and D’Mani Mellor came on shortly after the goal, minutes before O’Riordan was shown a second yellow card for a crunching foul on Owen Dodgson.

Tahvon Campbell came on in the 90^th minute and was inches away from grabbing a winning goal in added time. Quigley latched on to a ball over the top and squared for Campbell, but a defender got back in the nick of time to clear behind for a corner.

Brierley flashed a shot wide and Eastwood saved from Agyei’s low shot, as Dale continued to push, but couldn’t quite find a winner.

Dale XI | Eastwood, Taylor, Ebanks-Landell ©, Rodney, Odoh, Keohane, Brierley, Dodgson, Lloyd, Mullarkey, Henderson.

Subs | Craven, Seriki, Mellor, Graham, Quigley, Campbell, Diagouraga.