Accrington Stanley held top scorers Walsall to a goalless draw at the Wham Stadium.

The Saddlers have averaged two goals a game so far this season but the Reds kept them out for a welcome second clean sheet of the campaign.

Everton loan keeper Billy Crellin produced a number of superb saves but his Walsall counterpart Tommy Simkin also did well to stop Sonny Aljofree scoring his first legue goal.

Shaun Whalley missed out for the first time this season with a slight niggle with John Doolan making three changes from the starting XI at MK Dons.

Donald Love, Alex Henderson – his first league start of the campaign - and Tyler Walton came in to the line-up with Jimmy Knowles and Connor O’Brien on the bench and Whalley out.

Walsall started on the front foot with Liam Gordon firing wide in the opening stages and Taylor Allen testing Crellin from distance.

Stanley grew into the game and a Donald Love corner was punched away by Simkin while the resulting flag kick was headed wide by Faz Rawson.

A Jamie Jellis shot from the edge of the area was held by Crellin while Ben Woods played a great ball forward but Simkin got there just before Walton to make it goalless at half-time.

Stanley came so close on 51 minutes when a Jake Batty long throw was pushed away by Simkin into the path of Sonny Aljofree in the six-yard box but the Walsall keeper recovered to stick out a leg and clear the Manchester United loanee’s goalbound strike.

Three minutes later it was Crellin’s turn for heroics as he superbly pushed out a Jellis 20-yard free kick and Walsall top scorer Nathan Lowe headed over the rebound.

Dara Costelloe clipped a close-range effort just wide on 63 minutes, as another Batty throw caused problems, while a Jellis dipping strike was narrowly over.

Walsall pressed for the final 10 minutes and Stoke loan striker Lowe burst through one-on-one with Crellin on 81 minutes but the keeper pulled off a stunning stop to deny him.

Danny Johnson had a strike deflected just wide in added time as Stanley held on for a point.

Stanley: Crellin, Aljofree, Rawson Awe, Rawson, Love, B Woods, Coyle, Batty, Henderson (Knowles), Costelloe (J Woods), Walton

Subs: Kelly, Pickles, Trickett, O’Brien, Hunter