Walsall extended their winless streak to eight games after a poor stalemate against Bristol Rovers.

Clayton McDonald hit the bar in injury time but the Saddlers barely threatened all game, in a dull prelude to Tuesday’s clash between the sides at the Memorial Ground.

But home goalkeeper Clayton Ince saved well from Jo Kuffour and Stuart Campbell in a dull encounter.

Manny Smith failed to recover from his thigh injury, which meant the only change came in attack as Sam Parkin won the race to replace the suspended Troy Deeney.

Richard Taundry fired over twice in a low key start until Darryl Westlake’s goal saving challenge on Wayne Brown after 22 minutes – the right-back crunching the winger who was shaping to shoot.

The dangerous Kuffour then sliced wide, as a turgid opening gave way to a half riddled with errors.

Netan Sansara and Andy Williams were involved in a brief off-the-ball spat, but referee Peter Quinn kept his cards in his pocket.

Byron Anthony then headed wide eight minutes before the break and the chance was light relief from the scrappy offering the teams had served up.

It was unsurprising both sides were struggling – with Rovers without a victory on the road since September and the Saddlers winless in seven.

Matt Richards skidded a shot straight at Mikkel Andersen after 49 minutes, before Kuffour tip-toed past Walsall’s defence on 55 minutes only to see Ince block at his feet.

The Rovers frontman looked the most likely to break the deadlock, with the Saddlers offering little going forward.

Brown tested Ince from distance as the visitors grew in confidence, as carved out the best chance of the game on 68 minutes.

Campbell sent Kuffour clear and, when the striker chipped over the advancing Ince, McDonald was alive to clear.

The Rovers captain later tried his luck from distance with 11 minutes remaining, but Ince palmed his shot behind.

By then the game had reached an impasse, but it was almost broken in injury time when McDonald’s header from Richard Taundry’s corner smacked off the bar.