Walsall 0 Hartlepool 0

Walsall were held by stubborn Hartlepool as they extended their unbeaten run to six games.

George Bowerman and Andy Butler wasted Walsall's best chances but the Saddlers couldn't break the visitors down despite dominating much of the second half.

And Hartlepool skipper Neil Austin was lucky to only be shown a yellow card when he brought down Bowerman early in the second half as the striker threatened to go clean through.

The point moved Walsall three points clear of the League One drop zone but they slipped into 20th after Tranmere's 1-0 win over Leyton Orient.

Lee Beevers and Alex Nicholls replaced the injured Richard Taundry and Jamie Paterson as the Saddlers made a subdued start.

Hartlepool forced two early corners and during a composed opening but failed to test the Saddlers, who conjured the first chance on 17 minutes.

Neat work from Sam Mantom and Kevan Hurst slipped Bowerman through but the striker's angled effort rolled wide from 12-yards.

Jon Macken scuffed shot then fell kindly for Scott Flinders before the striker's rasping long-range drive was beaten down by the Pools keeper.

But it was disjointed stuff from both sides with neither able to find a decent rhythm in a flat game and the injured Oliver Lancashire was replaced by Manny Smith after 23 minutes.

And neither defence was troubled until first-half injury time when Bowerman planted a free header over from Beevers' fine centre.

The 20-year-old striker was causing the visitors problems and Neil Austin was lucky to avoid a red card when he blocked the youngster off as he threatened to go clean through just after the break.

The defender was booked and Kevan Hurst curled the 25-yard free kick wide. Tempers flared on the bench between Pools boss Neale Cooper and Saddlers physio Jon Whitney as the game woke up.

Bowerman just failed to connect with Macken's cross-shot before the hour before David Grof was finally forced into a save to block from Antony Sweeney.

The Saddlers were on top and substitute Will Grigg, on for Bowerman, stung Flinders' palms with an angled half chance with 21 minutes left.

Walsall, more inventive than the visitors, were pressing and Butler headed over Hurst's corner after Flinders came and missed.

The slick passing, missing in the first half, began to return and Sam Mantom was unlucky with the final chance with 12 minutes remaining.

Grigg's perseverance created the opening when the striker cut the ball back but the ball bobbled over Mantom's foot as the Albion loanee air-kicked from 15-yards.

By Nick Mashiter