Walsall keeper James Walker pulled off a brilliant last-gasp save to earn Walsall a share of the spoils against Coventry City at the Bescot Stadium.

Walker, back from a two-game suspension, saved a point-blank Gary McAllister header to guarantee stalemate in the West Midlands derby.

The Sky Blues had only rarely threatened, their attacking efforts restricted to second-half tilts from Dean Gordon and Matt Jansen ahead of McAllister's stoppage time header.

The Saddlers looked much more potent going forward with Jamie Lawrence, Darren Wrack and Junior all left to reflect on goalscoring chances which would have brought results.

Walsall midfielder Lawrence was in the thick of the action early on as he advanced through the centre of the park in the third minute only for an unfortunate bobble to carry the ball into the path of visiting goalkeeper Gary Montgomery.

And the free transfer from Bradford gave the Coventry keeper another scare less than five minutes later when he turned Gary Caldwell and Richard Shaw inside out before a venomous low drive drifted marginally wide.

Then in the 19th minute, Junior pounced on a Mo Konjic error on the halfway line and advanced towards the edge of the Coventry penalty box.

But, just as a goal seemed certain, Saddlers strike partner Jorge Leitao inadvertently blocked the shot.

But Leitao made up for his blunder two minutes later when his cute lay-off was followed by Darren Wrack launching a ferocious volley across the face of goal from left to right.

And with five minutes to the break, Walsall were again frustrated as a lunging Junior failed by inches to convert O'Connor's shot at the back post.

Lawrence was the next to steer wide moments before the interval.

The second half was a more evenly-balanced affair with Gordon responsible for the first Coventry shot of the evening, a 51st-minute effort deflected wide.

Gordon's second attempt also brought little joy, a well-struck effort from John Eustace's pass fizzing well wide of the target.

Junior's quick feet then took him clear in the box only for an eventual shot to be blocked by Caldwell.

Jansen's final contribution was a speculative effort from the edge of the penalty box but five minutes later, Lawrence embarked on another dazzling run from the halfway line which ended with the Jamaican's shot buzzing a whisker over Montgomery's crossbar.

Then, with the final whistle only seconds away, Montgomery's heroics denied disbelieving McAllister a Coventry winner.

Teams:

Walsall Walker, Roper, Barras, Carbon (Bazeley 20), Wrack, Lawrence (Matias 90), O'Connor, Samways, Aranalde, Junior (Simpson 75), Leitao.

Subs Not Used: Ward, Corica.

Booked: Aranalde.

Coventry Montgomery, Konjic, Shaw, Caldwell, Whing, Pead, McAllister, Eustace, Gordon, Jansen (McSheffrey 70), Bothroyd.

Subs Not Used: Debec, Davenport, Engonga, Pipe.

Att: 7,337

Ref: L Cable (Surrey).