Walsall stretched their unbeaten league run to 11 games with a goalless draw against Exeter City at the Banks’s Stadium.
Emmanuel Osadebe and Elijah Adebayo came close for the Saddlers but they couldn’t quite break down a resolute Exeter side.
Darrell Clarke made two changes to the team that beat Leyton Orient on Tuesday evening with Stuart Sinclair and Emmanuel Osadebe coming in for Danny Guthrie and Caolan Lavery.
The Saddlers made a bright start to the game and could have gone ahead after 10 minutes when Wes McDonald’s low cross was met by Osadebe who made a good run into the area but he stabbed the ball just wide.
Walsall looked sharp and bright throughout the first half and had another good opportunity 10 minutes later when Elijah Adebayo picked up the ball on the right hand side and made a darting run into the area. He cut in on his left foot and got a shot away but he dragged it just wide.
Exeter’s best chance came on 25 minutes when Alex Fisher’s header took a deflection as it went over the bar.
That high-tempo seen in the opening 20 minutes wasn’t replicated in the second 25 minutes of the half as both sides seem to lack cutting edge in the final third and the first half ended goalless.
Walsall started the second half brightly and had an early chance through McDonald as he cut in from the left and got a low shot away but his effort went straight into Lewis Ward’s gloves.
The game lacked spark and Darrell Clarke made his first substitution on 59 minutes when he introduced Danny Guthrie in place of Sinclair.
James Clarke had a chance for Walsall three minutes later when he hooked Dan Scarr’s header goal wards but his effort was caught by Ward.
Clarke made another change on 70 minutes as Lavery came on for Osadebe and the Saddlers started to look more dangerous.
Adebayo had a glorious chance when he got on the end of Guthrie’s cross but his header was tipped over by Ward.
The game started to open up. Nurse played a fantastic ball over the top to Holden who chested it beautifully before he played a low ball across goal that was cut out.
Walsall had a scare on 86 minutes when the ball was played over the top and Roberts rushed off his line but he slipped and Seymour took it round him before clipping the ball towards goal but his effort missed the target.
Neither side could find a late winner and both had to settle for a point.
Roberts; Norman, Scarr, Clarke, Nurse; Kinsella (Bates), Sinclair (Guthrie); Holden, Osadebe (Lavery), McDonald, Adebayo
Subs: Rose, Jules, Nolan, White