Walsall and Wimbledon scoreless

The magic of the FA Cup certainly hadn’t reached this corner of the West Midlands as the home side enjoyed just the better of a tough, uncompromising contest without managing to grab the goal their pressure just about deserved.

The atrocious surface, on which any kind of passing game was almost impossible, should have suited two giant sides, packed with six-footers.

However, it was Walsall who held sway for much of the opening period, not just winning most of the many physical tussles but also finding the space which was available.

Wing-back Darren Bazeley hugged the right touchline, embarking on a series of forward bursts which twice resulted in shots, the latter of which Kelvin Davis turned round for a corner.

With his team-mates content to fire passes in his direction whenever the opportunity arose, Bazeley was heavily involved in the action, giving marker Peter Hawkins a difficult afternoon without ever quite finding a cross which might have caught Davis out.

In fact, Walsall’s first decent opportunity came from the left-hand side, where Zigor Aranalde, taking Fitzroy Simpson’s crossfield ball, found the head of David Zdrilic, although the striker couldn’t find the target.

Davis came out bravely to punch a Simpson corner clear and the Wimbledon keeper generally looked quite solid, recovering comfortably when he mis-cued a clearance after the ball had bobbled up off the uneven turf, which is due to be ripped up tomorrow.

Zdrilic went close again just before the half hour when he controlled Jorge Leitao’s knock-back and lifted a shot over Davis, and, unfortunately for Walsall, over the bar.

Ireland international David Connolly, probably the shortest man on the field, was drifting across the field regularly in an attempt to inspire some sort of Wimbledon response.

Davis came out to collect by the penalty spot before Darren Wrack could reach Tony Barras’ nod down before Neil Shipperley, showing one of the few moments of genuine skill in the half, swivelled smartly onto Trond Andersen’s pass, avoiding Barras’ tackle but unable to get a clean strike on goal as the ball stuck under his foot.

Shipperley then sent a curling shot heading towards the top corner, forcing James Walker into his first meaningful save of the game.