The Saddlers maintained their unbeaten start to the League One season with a goalless draw against Blackpool on a sunny afternoon at the Banks’s Stadium.

In the opening exchanges of the game, it was the visitors who looked the livelier of the two teams with Joe Dodoo and Curtis Tilt both going close, with Tilt seeing his header cleared off the line by captain George Dobson. 

Just after those two chances, Tangerines captain Jay Spearing drew a great save from Liam Roberts in the Saddlers goal, with the keeper parrying the ball up into the air before claiming it at the second attempt. 

But just before the half-time whistle was blown, Dean Keates’ side produced their best piece of play as Zeli Ismail fizzed a ball across the box, only for Jack Fitzwater to narrowly miss it. Had the central defender got a touch on it, it surely would have led to the opening goal. 

Into the second half and not much changed in a cagey affair. 

Similar to the first half, it was the visitors who looked the most likely to open the scoring. From set-pieces, Tilt went close but his header flew wide and Mark Cullen fired wide on the turn from close range.

With the minutes ticking away, Blackpool went close again, this time through substitute Harry Pritchard. 

The midfielder picked the ball up on the edge of the box, but his blocked effort was well collected by Roberts. 

But with one minute left of normal time it was Walsall who should have won it. With a corner from the left, Leahy found Kane Wilson at the back post but the onloan West Bromwich Albion man couldn’t direct his effort on target.