Millwall 0 Walsall 0 - Report and pictures

In what was a clash short on quality and clear cut chances, two of the division's in-form sides struggled to hit the heights they have shown in the past few weeks.

But Walsall boss Jon Whitney won't mind after watching his side complete the 90 minutes without allowing their opponents a single shot on target.

The Saddlers had half chances to win it with Florent Cuvelier testing Jordan Archer and Joe Edwards firing wide after some good build-up play in the second half.

But in the end a draw was a fair result, with both teams guilty of seeing too many moves break down in the final third.In naming his starting line-up, boss Whitney kept faith with the team that secured back-to-back wins against Sheffield United and Bristol Rovers before drawing at Bury.

It meant the Saddlers continued in a 3-5-1-1 formation with Jason McCarthy and Joe Edwards the wing-backs and Erhun Oztumer operating behind Amadou Bakayoko in the number 10 role.

For Millwall, Wolves loanee Jed Wallace started wide right with Lee Gregory partnering Steve Morison up front in a traditional 4-4-2.

Neil Harris' side entered the game buoyed after knocking Premier League Watford out of the FA Cup on Sunday ­– a result which stretched their unbeaten run to eight matches.

And with that confidence they flew out the blocks and almost opened the scoring inside two minutes.

After Jake Cooper had done well to stop a surging McCarthy run, Millwall worked the ball wide left where Tony Craig delivered a pin-point cross.

That delivery was met by Wallace at the back-post but the former Portsmouth man powered his header wide when he should have done better.

Walsall responded with Flo Cuvelier and Oztumer trying their luck from distance.

But it was the hosts who had enjoyed almost complete control of the opening 20 minutes with the Lion's doing well to squeeze Walsall and win possession high up the pitch.

And they threatened again midway through the half when Wallace and Gregory combined with some neat link-up play in the box.

The striker hit the byline and delivered a teasing ball which flashed across goal. But the pace of delivery meant a darting Shane Ferguson was just unable to reach it and nod it home.

Undeterred, the hosts continued to press and almost broke the deadlock when Neil Etheridge failed to claim Ben Thompson's cross. But, under pressure, Morison headed wide.

Walsall hit back with Jordan Archer making a comfortable save after Bakayoko turned a low Oztumer cross towards goal.

And that miss meant the two sides made their way off at the break all-square, with neither having moved the ball with the same tempo they had showed in their previous few outings.

It was Walsall who threated first at the start of the second half with Eoghan O'Connell doing well to bring the ball out of defence before feeding Bakayoko.

The Saddlers striker used his strength to hold off a Millwall defender before slipping in Edwards who then sliced a shot wide from just inside the area.

The hosts made a double change just past the hour with Aiden O'Brien and Fred Onyedinma replacing Ferguson and Wallace. Walsall then switched Bakayoko for Simeon Jackson.

Both teams were struggling to create anything of note as the clock ticked towards the 80 minute mark with Adam Chambers using all his nous and experience to expertly protect Walsall's defence.

In a bid to add some fresh energy and creative spark, Whitney introduced Kieron Morris for Cuvelier and handed a Walsall debut to deadline day signing Will Randall who replaced Oztumer.

It was Millwall though who threatened next with O'Brien curling over from 25-yards. Walsall hit back with Morris also firing over from distance after tricking his way past a defender.

In stoppage time, Onyedinma's cross caused a spell on panic in the Saddlers box with Isaiah Osbourne eventually hacking clear.

And that proved the last meaningful goal-mouth action with neither side creating enough to warrant all three points but with Walsall having done well to restrict the hosts to hardly any clear-cut chances.

Millwall: Archer, Cummings, Craig, Williams, Thompson, Gregory, Wallace (Onyedinma 65), Webster, Ferguson (Obrien 65), Morison, Cooper.

Subs not used: King, Martin, Worrall, Romeo, Abdou

Walsall: Etheridge, O'Connor, Preston, O'Connell, Edwards, McCarthy, Chambers, Cuvelier (Morris 77), Osbourne, Oztumer (Randall 85), Bakayoko (Jackson 69).

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Laird, Dobson, Makris