Walsall were held to a second successive home 0-0 draw as relegation-threatened Crawley earned a deserved point to further hinder the stuttering Saddlers’ promotion push.
The long-time leaders slipped to sixth in League Two after a fourth draw in eight games while Crawley, in 20th, inched three points clear of the relegation zone.
Neither side created a meaningful chance in an incredibly drab first half.
Crawley earned a number of set-piece opportunities but a weak Charlie Barker header was their best effort while Courtney Clarke curled over from 25 yards for the shot-shy Saddlers.
The visitors, who snapped an 11-game winless run with victory at Barrow at the weekend, had a narrow escape at the start of the second half. Josh Flint made a key block to prevent Walsall top scorer Daniel Kanu prodding home Jamille Matt’s knockdown.
But Crawley bossed the final half-hour as Jay Williams nodded wide from a corner and Walsall keeper Myles Roberts made smart stops from Ronan Darcy’s chip, Williams’ snapshot and Theo Vassell’s header.
