The Crues started the brighter with a Spence effort being well held by Robert Robinson followed by a 25-yard Eamon McAllister drive which the 'keeper did well to turn round an upright.

The best Newry could offer was a Richard Clarke shot which failed to even make the target from the edge of the area before Sean Friars forced a point blank save from Aaron Kerr with a turn and shot six minutes from half-time.

Crusaders were then reduced to ten men right on the whistle when Gary Smyth received his marching orders for a professional foul on Friars as he bore down on goal.

Despite this they still looked the most likely to score when Stevie Coulter had a go from 22-yards with Robinson doing well to turn the ball just round the post.

At the other end Sean Friars lobbed Kerr only for the ball to drop onto the roof of the net but, with eight minutes later, the deadlock was finally broken when Emmett Friars rose to nod a Cullen Feeney flick home from barely four yards.

However the visitors secured a share of the spoils right at the end when Feeney was adjudged to have brought down Stephen McBride inside the area with Spence stepping up to successfully convert.