Earlier this afternoon Walsall Football Club played host to Bradford City in the Saddlers' opening home league game of the season. Bescot Banter columnist Scott Brotherton was in attendance, and shares his match report below.The Saddlers started their first home game brightly with some neat passing on show, but Bradford had the first attempt on goal as Billy Knott's long distance drive whistled well wide.
Tom Bradshaw opened his account against Port Vale last Saturday and the number nine met Andy Taylor's cross, flicking it across the face of goal with Walsall's first sighter.
This seemed to inject some excitement into the Saddlers players and they went on to have two great chances in as many minutes.
A corner was nodded down to Ashley Grimes but the former Bury man lashed the ball over on the turn, and moments later Romaine Sawyers' piledriver rose just enough to beat the crossbar as well as a relieved Jordan Pickford in the Bantams' goal.
Knott then scuffed an effort terribly from the edge of the area which trickled wide, and Bradford were looking dangerous despite the hosts having the lion's share of possession.
A magnificent ball from new man Billy Clifford then gave Walsall their best chance yet. The midfielder, released from Chelsea in the summer, showed his class with a glorious lofted through ball to Bradshaw which cut out the whole Bantams defence.
Bradshaw tried to latch onto the pass with a Robin van Persie-esque volley, but he didn't connect sweetly and the snapshot went straight into the goalkeeper's gloves.
Phil Parkinson's side hit back and they had an equally good opportunity through Mason Bennett. He met Mark Yeates' ball with a glancing header which went wide, when a firmer touch would have certainly left Saddlers stopper Richard O'Donnell with work to do.
Yeates' free kick from the corner of the box did force O'Donnell into a save just before the break, however it was comfortable for the keeper and the teams went in all square.
H/T: Walsall 0 Bradford City 0
The visitors came out of the blocks quickly in the second half and only a last ditch Andy Taylor tackle prevented them from opening the scoring.
A mix up between James Chambers and Liam Kinsella then almost gifted Bradford the lead but Walsall's academy graduate, making his debut at right-back, recovered well to get back and charge down the shot from Bennett.
Clifford's looping curler dropped just over Pickford's goal and Grimes' side-footed half volley flew well wide as the game passed the hour mark. Walsall were still maintaining their grip on possession but very few clear-cut chances were being created by the men in red.
On the other hand the Bantams were looking a real threat when they went forward and James Hanson had a huge opportunity to break the deadlock.
The 6 ft 4 in target man was in the perfect position to head home but he couldn't generate any power from a weak cross, only cushioning the ball down into the clutches of a grateful goalkeeper.
With eight minutes to go Taylor chested down and volleyed wide for the Saddlers and they could have nicked the three points in the three minutes of added time at the death.
Pickford had to beat away Adam Chambers' powerful blast after the Walsall captain was nicely teed up 20 yards out, and the late pressure came to a head when a scramble in the penalty area ended with Grimes smashing high into the Tile Choice Stand.
F/T: Walsall 0 Bradford City 0
The 0-0 means Dean Smith's men remain unbeaten with two points from two league games, but are still yet to win in League One as they go into Tuesday night's clash with Yeovil Town.
By: Scott Brotherton.
RESULT: Walsall 0 Bradford City 0
AT: Banks's Stadium, Walsall.
ATTENDANCE: 4,520 (927 Bradford City)
REFEREE: Mr. Dean Whitestone, Northamptonshire.
WALSALL: O'Donnell; J.Chambers (Holden 70'), Kinsella, Downing, Taylor; A,Chambers, Clifford; Grimes, Sawyers, Benning (Forde 75'); Bradshaw
SUBS NOT USED: MacGillivray; Baxendale, Flanagan, Morris; Bakayoko
BRADFORD CITY: Pickford, Darby, McArdle, Davies, Meredith, Liddle, Knott (Dolan 66'), Kennedy, Yeates (Shariff 76'), Bennett (McLean 64'), Hanson
SUBS NOT USED: Williams, Routis, McBurnie, Morais