Crewe's perfect start to the season came to an end with a 3-0 defeat at Salford.
Brandon Thomas-Asante scored two goals inside four second-half minutes to secure victory for the hosts.
But the damage had already been done when Bassala Sambou was sent off in the 31st minute with the Alex trailing.
The visitors had enjoyed a good start, with Daniel Agyei heading a brilliant chance wide after nine minutes.
Salford hit the front in the 17th minute after Conor McAleny finished off a good counter-attack.
Sambou was dismissed after grabbing Theo Vassell by the throat during an off-the-ball incident.
Callum Hendry smacked the woodwork from distance before Ibou Touray and Jason Lowe went close either side of half-time.
Thomas-Asante doubled Salford's lead with a powerful finish from just outside the box.
And it was game over three minutes later when Thomas-Asante tapped home Touray's pinpoint cross.
Elliot Watt fired over from distance midway through the half, before Thomas-Asante was denied a hat-trick by Kelvin Mellor's last-ditch block.