Walsall 0-0 Carlisle United: Blues held by ten-man Saddlers

The Blues had a man advantage for the last half-hour after Walsall's former United defender Hayden White was sent off for a challenge on Jack Armer.

But Carlisle couldn't make it count and dropped a place to fourth in League Two with five games to go.

The Blues enjoyed late headed chances through Owen Moxon and Ben Barclay, and also had penalty shouts turned down by ref Declan Bourne.

But they were unable to make the breakthrough despite an 18th clean sheet of the season, and were overtaken by Stockport County, who are now third on goal difference.

The display of ref Bourne and his assistants came in for plenty of criticism at the Poundland Bescot Stadium, a series of perplexing decisions causing consternation.

Carlisle - backed by 1,086 travelling fans - also suffered their latest injury blow as Jack Ellis limped off in the first half.

United boss Paul Simpson was boosted by Callum Guy being passed fit to play despite his half-time substitution with a leg problem against Tranmere.

That allowed the Blues boss to name an unchanged side for the Easter Monday clash.

Jack Ellis goes off injured (Image: Richard Parkes)

Walsall boss Michael Flynn made two changes, bringing in Conor Wilkinson and Oisin McEntee as Joe Low and former United man Joe Riley dropped to the bench.

Some Carlisle fans remained stuck in heavy motorway traffic as the game got under way.

Walsall fashioned a half-chance after just 11 seconds, Wilkinson juggling the ball into space before shooting wide, before Liam Gordon found space on the left to test the Blues.

Carlisle grew into things and pressed the hosts well in their own half, Alfie McCalmont to the fore, but his cross just eluded Kristian Dennis, while other forays came to little.

The Blues then suffered their latest injury blow in the right wing-back position, Ellis going down and unable to continue, as Jordan Gibson took his place in the 22nd minute.

A late chance for Ben Barclay goes begging (Image: Richard Parkes)

That was followed by a period when Walsall forced United back, Tom Knowles testing Carlisle with a series of long throws and also a free-kick which Tomas Holy parried.

United emerged late in the half with some better play and were denied strong penalty shouts when Armer went down under a Knowles challenge.

But at half-time things required a serious increase in quality in the final third - while the displays of ref Bourne and his officials had come in for plenty of criticism from both sides, a cluster of throw-in decisions going the wrong way amid some other bizarre calls.

Things continued in frustrating fashion after the break with neither side able to take control, Gibson failing to feed Patrick on the break and Jamille Matt sending a header over the bar.

Gibson hit the wall with another free-kick - but then things took a dramatic turn on the hour when White's foul on Armer on halfway was deemed worthy of a red card by ref Bourne.

Jack Armer is denied a penalty (Image: Richard Parkes)

That saw Carlisle up against ten men for the final half hour, with Flynn responding with a triple change, Riley coming on along with Andy Williams and Joss Labadie.

United almost found a way in when Moxon's corner was headed on by Dennis but Jon Mellish had just too much to do as he dived in at the back post.

Simpson brought on Ryan Edmondson and Jamie Devitt for the final 20 minutes as, in United's box, McEntee was denied with a penalty shout and Liam Kinsella also later denied by the ref when going down under Armer's challenge.

Carlisle, in this spell, were unable to penetrate the ten men, Gibson firing a shot too high from 25 yards in the closing stages and, at the other end, Holy parrying a Gordon cross.

In added time a Devitt corner found Moxon in space but the midfielder failed to head past Evans - and then, in the tenth added minute, Barclay arrived onto an Armer cross in a great position, but headed wide with the game's final touch.

Walsall: Evans, White, Gordon, Monthe, McEntee, Kinsella, Comley, Knowles, Hutchinson (Labadie 64), Wilkinson (Williams 64), Matt (Riley 64). Not used: Maddox, Stevens, Low, Maher.

Booked: Wilkinson. Sent off: White.

United: Holy, Barclay, Huntington, Mellish, Ellis (Gibson 22), Armer, Guy (Edmondson 72), Moxon, McCalmont, Patrick (Devitt 72), Dennis. Not used: Kelly, Whelan, Robinson, Garner.

Booked: Armer, Patrick.

Ref: Declan Bourne.

Crowd: 6,117 (1,086 United fans).