Fleetwood 1 Walsall 1

Jimmy Walker's heroics saved Walsall FA Cup embarrassment as the 10-man Saddlers clung on.

The veteran goalkeeper produced stunning saves to twice deny Nathan Pond, before a superb reaction stop from Lee Thorpe in the second-half.

Jamie Mullan had equalised Matt Richards' early strike after Ryan McGivern was given a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Ian Craney.

Fleetwood skipper Steve McNulty even missed a first-half penalty after Richard Taundry felled Craney.

The Saddlers offered little going forward and will be relieved just to be in the hat for tomorrow's draw.

The teams will now replay at the Banks's Stadium on Tuesday November 16.

Steve Jones replaced Julian Gray, who was left out of the squad completely, in the Saddlers' only change from the midweek defeat to Peterborough.

They started brightly enough, taking the lead after four minutes.

Jonathan Macken knocked down Liam Dickinson's pass to Richards for the midfielder to stride forward and find the corner with a skidding 25-yard drive.

Fleetwood responded and Pond's effort was turned behind by Walker, but the occasion looked to have got to the Blue Square Premier outfit.

The Saddlers were confident and comfortable in the opening exchanges, with Macken planted McGivern's cross wide after 13 minutes.

Gareth Seddon then flashed one over as Fleetwood battled without seriously threatening their visitors, who easily looked like the league side.

But Walsall handed the Cod Army a lifeline on 29 minutes when Taundry brought down Craney in the area but captain McNulty's penalty was woeful, smacking the top of the bar and looping out of the ground.

The miss galvanised the hosts and a last-ditch block from Manny Smith denied Pond an equaliser, before Scott Davies tipped Macken's drive over on 34 minutes.

Blue Square Premier outfit Fleetwood had finally come to terms with the occasion and they were boosted further when the Saddlers were reduced to 10 men on 39 minutes.

The hosts, now looking to hit Walsall on the break, moved forward and – midway inside their half – McGivern needlessly dived in with two feet on Craney and walked.

While not malicious the Northern Ireland international was reckless and left his team-mates to hang on until half time.

Walsall brought on Aaron Lescott for the unfortunate Jones at the break, knowing they needed to secure their fragile backline.

But, three minutes after the re-start, Fleetwood levelled with a goal of real quality.

Half-time substitute Mullan received the ball 30-yards out before unleashing a curling drive which bent into Walker's top corner.

It went from bad to worse for the Saddlers when Martin Devaney limped off with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Reuben Reid, while Oliver Lancashire came on for Clayton McDonald.

The hosts sensed an upset and Walker had to be alert to Anthony Barry's volley, as Fleetwood packed the Walsall box.

Adam Warlow hooked wide on 68 minutes, before the largely anonymous Dickinson drilled past the post.

Then it became the Jimmy Walker show as he came to the rescue when he turned Pond's snap-shot over, excelling again after 76 minutes when Fleetwood carved Walsall apart.

Warlow's clever flick set Pond clear with just Walker to beat, but the veteran dived low to palm away the midfielder's shot.

Walker was fast turning in to a one-man wall as his reactions kept out Thorpe's toe-poke after the midfielder diverted Warlow's shot.

The Saddlers were clinging on and Thorpe should have won it with four minutes remaining when he headed over.