Carlisle United 0-0 Walsall: Blues and Saddlers in battling stalemate

Defences were on top in front of a 5,493 crowd as the Blues had to settle for their second draw in a week.

Taylor Charters missed the Cumbrians' best chance late in the first half while United couldn't make the most of a string of set-pieces against a well-organised visiting side.

At the other end Carlisle kept Michael Flynn's side at bay, Danny Johnson testing Tomas Holy and Jacob Maddox going close late on but Paul Simpson's men rarely given serious trouble.

Attacking inspiration was in short supply and the 0-0 outcome was a fair reflection of a game which saw United drop a place to eighth in League Two, as Walsall also moved down a position to 13th.

United boss Simpson made two changes to his side, recalling Jon Mellish after suspension in place of Corey Whelan in defence, while Jordan Gibson took the place of top scorer Kristian Dennis.

The latter was fit despite a midweek concern over a calf problem, but started on the bench where fit-again frontman Jack Stretton also returned to the squad.

Walsall's League Two manager of the month Flynn made one change as Liam Bennett came in for Liam Kinsella, while former Carlisle loanees Hayden White and Brandon Comley both started.

A tightly-fought first half then unfolded which saw clear chances at a premium and Ollie Yates' inconsistent refereeing coming in for criticism.

Paul Huntington on the ball for Carlisle (Image: Ben Holmes)

Johnson got behind the United defence early on but was unable to finish for the Saddlers.

For Carlisle, Callum Guy saw a shot blocked before Jack Armer, from a series of corners, turned and saw an attempt deflect wide.

Guy had a further shot blocked by the hosts in a stage United were working hard to win the ball back, but found their passing sometimes below par.

Walsall's Tom Knowles hit the wall with a free-kick, before a Carlisle attack down the left saw Armer cross well and Fin Back rise highest, his header going into the ground before rising and forcing visiting keeper Owen Evans to tip it from under his crossbar.

Few other openings came, though, Manny Monthe slicing wide for Walsall after a scramble, both defences largely dominating and Carlisle struggling to make the ball stick against a strong visiting rearguard.

United did almost force their way through in the 41st minute, when Armer ran onto a Gibson pass and attacked the penalty area, but Bennett gave chase and Carlisle, despite strong appeals for a foul, were only awarded a corner.

United then created their best chance so far right at the end of the first half when they charged down a clearance and Gibson collected it on the right before cutting the ball back into space.

Charters attacked it but cleared the bar with his shot from an excellent position.

Things remained evenly poised into the second half as Gibson made a break for United but saw his cross cleared, before Holy tipped over a Johnson shot at the other end.

Maddox fired over from a narrow angle as Walsall broke at the Blues, but things were still tight well past the hour mark.

Simpson made the first change on 66 minutes, bringing on Dennis for Charters, and a Moxon corner almost opened something up for Carlisle as it curled dangerously through Walsall's box but lacked a finishing touch.

The visitors countered through Isaac Hutchinson and Liam Gordon, who finished waywardly when running onto a clearance in a decent position.

Callum Guy shoots (Image: Ben Holmes)

Flynn sent on sub Jack Earing, who got the winner when the sides met in April, and later the experienced Andy Williams replaced Johnson.

Simpson responded by introducing Stretton for Gibson for the last ten minutes, and the sub tried to get United onto the front foot.

But it was the Saddlers who went closest as the clock ticked down, Maddox rifling just wid from 25 yards in the 88th minute and Bennett then firing over from the right following a debated free-kick.

United could not make anything of more late set pieces and it resulted in a second goalless draw of the season at Brunton Park, with Carlisle now unbeaten in four games in all competitions but with just one win in five in the league.

The two sides meet again in the FA Cup second round in two weeks' time.

United: Holy, Feeney, Huntington, Mellish, Back, Armer, Guy, Moxon, Gibson (Stretton 80), Charters (Dennis 66), Edmondson. Not used: Kelly, Sho-Silva, Whelan, Ellis, Harris.

Walsall: Evans, White, Gordon, Daniels, Monthe, Comley, Bennett, Maddox, Hutchinson, Knowles (Earing 71), Johnson (Williams 78). Not used: James-Taylor, McEntee, Cashman, Allen, Maher.

Ref: Ollie Yates.

Crowd: 5,493 (317 Walsall fans).