Peterborough 0 Walsall 0 - Report and pictures

The Saddlers had the best of the game at Peterborough but rarely tested home goalkeeper Ben Alnwick.

Michael Cain went close on numerous occasions, but the Alnwick's toughest save came when he had to push out a Jordan Cook effort.

Visiting custodian Richard O'Donnell was, meanwhile, forced to tip Marcus Maddison's mis-hit cross round the post and save late on from Luke James to preserve the point.

It is a point which leaves the Saddlers with minimal breathing space above the drop zone with six league games remaining.

Manager Dean Smith will feel, just as after Friday's 0-0 draw with Notts County, they created more than enough chances to win.

But their failure to take them means they remain nervously looking over their shoulders.

They have now failed to score in more than six hours of football - though Port Vale's late defeat at Rochdale means they have actually climbed a place in the table, to 15th.

While Smith kept faith with the same XI as Friday, opposite number Dave Robertson reacted to a 2-0 defeat at Scunthorpe by making no fewer than six changes.

The hosts had only scored one in four games while the Saddlers were without a goal in three.

And it was the visitors who came closest to breaking their drought early on when Cook curled a shot from the edge of the box inches wide of the post.

Jordy Hiwula shot straight at home goalkeeper Alnwick as the Saddlers continued to probe.

Peterborough United: Alnwick, Smith, Bostwick, Zakuani, Nthle, Taylor (Anderson 46), Payne, Norris, Maddison (Newell 77), James, McLean (Washington 63).

Substitutes not used: Henry (GK), Brisley, Oztumer, Santos.

Walsall: O'Donnell, Purkiss, O'Connor, J Chambers, Taylor, Cain, A Chambers, Morris, Sawyers (Mantom 69), Hiwula (Forde 69), Cook (Bakayoko 85).

Substitutes not used: MacGillivray (GK), Downing, Kinsella, Grimes.

Referee: Darren Handley (Bolton)

Yey they were almost caught cold just before the midway point of the half when David Norris was played in. His shot was too close to O'Donnell, however, who parried it away.

Still it was the visitors who were threatening more and they went close again, when Cain fired over from a corner.

The on-loan Leicester City man would go close twice again soon after, first sending a volley inches wide from 20 yards out.

And he would hit the same spot again with a first time effort from the edge of the box, when teed up by Romaine Sawyers.

Morris drove a shot straight at Alnwick from distance, while in a rare home attack, Luke James fired an effort right across the face of the visiting goal.

Yet for all the Saddlers pressure it was almost the hosts who took the lead early in the second half when O'Donnell was forced to tip Maddison's attempted cross behind, as it threatened to creep in at the far post.

At the other end, Cain whipped a free-kick just wide of the post after Morris had been felled 25 yards from goal.

Just as in the first half the Saddlers were enjoying the better of it but struggling to test Alnwick and as the game entered the final 20 minutes, the lacklustre hosts finally began to get into their stride.

Substitute Harry Anderson headed wide at the far post and then stung O'Donnell's palms with a fierce drive which the keeper was forced to push wide.

Cook finally gave Alnwick some work to do after wriggling away from his marker and firing in a shot which the home keeper pushed out.

Cain again saw a fine effort from distance fall just the wrong side of the post, while O'Donnell saved down low after James had broken clear on the right.