Battling Walsall claimed a vital point at Stevenage to record their third straight away draw.

But they had Adam Chambers’ late goal-line clearance from Michael Bostwick’s header to thank for preserving the point.

The Saddlers stay in the League One relegation zone but close the gap on fifth-bottom Rochdale to a point.

A resilient display gained a merited result though after the Saddlers were on the defensive for much of the game.

Byron Harrison missed the hosts’ best chance, firing into the side-netting mid-way through the second-half.

Will Grigg headed over for the Saddlers, while Chambers’ long-range effort was saved by goalkeeper Chris Day.

Captain Andy Butler was sidelined with a hamstring injury and Manny Smith replaced him, while Andy Halliday started on the bench after joining on-loan from Middlesbrough on Thursday.

The defensive duo of Smith and Oliver Lancashire were on the back-foot immediately, while goalkeeper Jimmy Walker saved twice from Luke Freeman.

That the Saddlers struggled to settle was credit to the hosts who refused to afford them time at the back – although the visitors were guilty of some lax defending.

Chuks Aneke almost profited from Walsall’s generosity when he fired over after 24 minutes following Harrison’s knock-down.

But the Saddlers finally woke up after the half hour when Day parried Chambers’ rasping 30-yard drive, when Stevenage only half-cleared a corner.

However, a minute later they were on the defensive and Bostwick tested Walker with a thunderbolt the goalkeeper failed to hold.

Both Lancashire and Smith were ruffled by the hosts and looked ill at ease, with the physical nature of Aneke and skill of the lively Freeman.

The on-loan Arsenal pair were the hosts’ biggest threat during a first half which failed to ignite.

Walsall began the second-half well, with Alex Nicholls carving out a half-chance for Grigg which the striker glanced over the bar.

The hosts continued to look the most dangerous though and Freeman fizzed a low shot a yard wide of Walker’s far post on 50 minutes.

Four minutes later, Bostwick fired wide from 25-yards after a neat free-kick routine out-foxed the Saddlers.

George Bowerman – with two goals in his last two games – replaced Grigg just after the hour as the visitors looked for inspiration.

Chambers’ long-range drive aside they had failed to test Day in the Boro goal and Jon Macken was guilty of snatching at a fine chance, volleying Mat Sadler’s cross over from 10 yards.

The Saddlers almost fell behind on 69 minutes when Harrison wriggled clear of Lancashire to run clean through but hit the side-netting.

Halliday replaced Wilson seconds later but the debutant couldn’t provide the creative spark the Saddlers craved.

And they were indebted to Chambers, who headed Bostwick’s glancing effort off the line two minutes from time to earn a point.