Walsall 0 Forest Green 0 - Report

Freddie Draper's header was expertly denied by James Belshaw during the first half to prevent him from marking his return from injury in scoring style.

Danny Johnson came close in stoppage time when his low strike was saved at the near post by Belshaw, but Walsall ultimately lacked the cutting edge required again in the final third.

Troy Deeney, who was returning to Walsall for the first time since his exit in 2010, had a golden opportunity to mark his Bescot homecoming with a goal in the opening five minutes.

Fellow former Saddlers midfielder Jacob Maddox combined with Jamie Robson down the left, and the latter hung an inviting cross towards the back post, but Deeney was unable to direct his header on target.

Robson was busy at the other end moments later when Donervon Daniels' diagonal switch caught out Jamie Belshaw. The Forest Green goalkeeper couldn't decide whether to stick or go, and Knowles looked destined to seize the loose ball inside the box until Robson swept up in the nick of time.

Daniels conceded possession cheaply midway inside his own half and Rovers worked the ball down the right with Fankaty Dabo. His low fizzing cross was flicked across the face of goal by Kyle McAllister, as Walsall survived an early scare.

After a slow start to the first half, the Saddlers found some joy with the combination of Liam Gordon and Ronan Maher, who was making his first league start of the season, down the left.

The pair linked effectively before Freddie Draper outmuscled his man at the near post to meet Maher's cross, which he headed wide of the near post.

Harvey Bunker forced Owen Evans into action with a low effort from speculative range, but the better chances ultimately fell to Walsall.

Stirk worked hard to steal the ball on the left and Knowles received a low cross from Maher, which he blazed away from the target.

Draper, returning from a spell on the sidelines, almost picked up where he left off when he was presented with a golden opportunity in the box.

Knowles' long throw was knocked down into the danger area and Draper was at full stretch to guide his header towards goal.

Belshaw showed great reflexes to claw his effort away, although Walsall kept the attack alive and strongly believed that they had a case for a penalty moments later.

Stirk's strike was diverted narrowly wide of the target, and the Walsall complaints that the ball had struck a Forest Green arm were ignored by referee Peter Wright.

At the start of the second half, Daniels got across the front of his marker to nod Stirk's corner over the woodwork.

But Walsall struggled to build any momentum, and found themselves seriously lacking any creativity, or quality in the final third.

Mat Sadler introduced Jamille Matt and Danny Johnson during the second half, and Matt had a golden opportunity to score against his former employers.

Matt found himself one-on-one with Belshaw inside the box until substitute Ryan Inniss swooped across to produce an important late block.

The crowd grew frustrated, and tensions boiled over on the pitch when both teams were involved in a melee just as the contest headed into seven minutes of stoppage time.

Johnson plucked a looping ball from Gordon out of the air and fizzed the ball low and hard towards the near post where Belshaw got down low to turn behind.

Walsall had one more chance to steal it at the death. Hutchinson chased the ball down the left and cut inside to unleash a curling effort wide of the target with Belshaw rooted to the spot.

Teams

Walsall (4-2-3-1): Evans; Okagbue, McEntee, Daniels, Gordon; Stirk, Comley; Knowles (Foulkes 88), Hutchinson, Maher (Matt 62); Draper (Johnson 74).

Subs not used: Smith, Farquharson, James-Taylor, Allen.

Forest Green (4-4-2): Belshaw; Dabo, Bernard, Moore-Taylor, Robson; McAllister (Jenks 56), McCann (Inniss 77), Bunker, Maddox (Welch 70); Omotoye (Robertson 77), Deeney.

Subs not used: Searle, Johnson, Jones.

Referee: Peter Wright

Attendance: 6,317 (182)