Walsall's Liam Gordon comes under pressure from Alfreton Town's William Fewster
Alfreton Town fought League Two Walsall to a stalemate to earn a FA Cup second-round replay at the Bescot Stadium next week.
The National League North part-timers are 38 league places below the Saddlers, but their direct approach and the prodigious long throw of midfielder Adam Lund made it an uncomfortable night at North Street for the Black Country side.
The non-league side survived a contentious early refereeing decision as Ryan Stirk's inswinging corner eluded goalkeeper George Willis to find the top corner, only for official Sam Allison to rule out the 'goal' for what seemed to be minimal contact on Willis by Walsall striker Freddie Draper.
Walsall went into the game, rearranged after an icy pitch forced a postponement six minutes before kick-off on Saturday, having lost three of their past four to slip towards the League Two relegation zone, and they failed to make their superior fitness and full-time status count.
- Relive Alfreton's battling draw against Walsall
Alfreton themselves have hit a rocky patch in their season, with no wins in their past four matches, but with the majority of the bumper 3,000 crowd behind them they gave a good account of themselves.
Willis was in the thick of it again a few minutes after his disallowed goal let-off, this time with a superb save as Draper burst clear and shot across him, aiming for the far corner.
Billy Heath's Reds, however, matched them blow for blow as Donervon Daniels hooked the ball to safety at the far post after another dangerous Lund throw, and then defender Shaun Brisley stole forward to get on the end of Dwayne Wiley's cross only to send it straight at Walsall goalkeeper Jackson Smith.
Willis was the home side's hero again when Stirk met David Okagbue's cross, the goalkeeper saving at point-blank range before his defence smuggled the ball to safety.
Walsall were expected to make their full-time conditioning tell as the game wore on, but they were wasteful as Isaac Hutchinson landed their best chance in the garden of a house behind the Alfreton goal, Willis produced another fine save to deny the same player, and defender Priestly Farquharson looped a lazy shot wide of the post.
It was increasingly Lund's booming long throws that looked most likely to break the deadlock, but with the Walsall defence standing firm, the only real chance fell to Harry Perritt at the far post, with Smith getting his body in the way of the Alfreton man's shot.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsAlfreton
Formation 4-3-1-2
1Willis2Clackstone14Brisley6Wiley23Newall8Cantrill4Lund22Fewster12Perritt29Taylor7Thewlis
- 1Willis2Clackstone14Brisley6Wiley23NewallBooked at 85mins8Cantrill4Lund22Fewster12Perritt29TaylorSubstituted forDayat 66'minutes7ThewlisSubstituted forSalmonat 65'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Digie9Day10Waldock11Salmon13Askew16Stacey17Oliver21Grewal-Pollard
Walsall
Formation 4-4-1-1
22Smith2Okagbue6Farquharson5Daniels3Gordon10Knowles4McEntee25Stirk8Hutchinson26Tierney15Draper
- 22Smith2Okagbue6Farquharson5DanielsBooked at 90mins3Gordon10KnowlesBooked at 85mins4McEntee25Stirk8Hutchinson26TierneySubstituted forEaringat 78'minutes15Draper
Substitutes
- 9Matt11James-Taylor12Foulkes14Comley17Earing19Williams21Allen32Barrett42Griffiths
Referee:Sam AllisonMatch StatsHome TeamAlfretonAway TeamWalsallPossessionHome39%Away61%ShotsHome12Away17Shots on TargetHome4Away4CornersHome3Away7FoulsHome8Away10Live Text Post update
Match ends, Alfreton Town 0, Walsall 0.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, Alfreton Town 0, Walsall 0.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt blocked. Harry Perritt (Alfreton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
90'+2'Booking
Donervon Daniels (Walsall) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+2'Post update
Foul by Donervon Daniels (Walsall).
90'+2'Post update
Harry Perritt (Alfreton Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
87'Post update
Foul by Priestley Farquharson (Walsall).
87'Post update
Lewis Salmon (Alfreton Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
85'Booking
Tom Knowles (Walsall) is shown the yellow card.
85'Booking
Nathan Newall (Alfreton Town) is shown the yellow card.
85'Post update
Foul by Tom Knowles (Walsall).
85'Post update
Nathan Newall (Alfreton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
82'Post update
Jack Earing (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
82'Post update
Foul by George Cantrill (Alfreton Town).
81'Post update
Foul by David Okagbue (Walsall).
81'Post update
Lewis Salmon (Alfreton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
79'Post update
Corner, Alfreton Town. Conceded by Donervon Daniels.
78'Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Jack Earing replaces Ross Tierney.
77'Post update
Hand ball by Ross Tierney (Walsall).
77'Post update
Attempt saved. Harry Perritt (Alfreton Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Source: bbc.com