Neither side make a change and it is as you were at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Walsall almost gifted an early chance with Ryan McGivern needing two swings of the leg to clear an otherwise harmless ball into the box.

Visitors Port Vale get proceedings back under way at Bescot Stadium.

A reminder that you can listen to live commentary on BBC WM 95.6 and BBC Radio Stoke, but sadly not on our website because of a rights issue.

League One

• Walsall 0-0 Port Vale (HT)

Championship

• Sheffield Wednesday v Wolves (14:00 GMT)
• Leeds v Preston (15:00 GMT)
• Reading v Blackburn (15:00 GMT)

Image source, PA

There are two Premier League matches taking place today. Jurgen Klopp takes his Liverpool side to Watford at 13:30 GMT, before managerless Swansea host West Ham (16:00 GMT).

Follow our Premier League build-up and live text commentary of Watford v Liverpool here.

Image source, Rex Features

Heard the one about the team who won at home - 85 miles from home? How Mourinho brought Middlesbrough luck? Or the defender who turned from villain to hero in the space of five minutes?

Read about all this and more in Phil Cartwright's round-up of Football League stories you might have missed on Saturday.

Image source, Page Pix

Colchester United are set to appoint former West Ham and Stoke midfielder Kevin Keen as their new manager, reports BBC Essex.

The 48-year-old sat alongside chairman Robbie Cowling as he watched the League One club lose to Rochdale on Saturday.

Keen will replace Tony Humes, who left the League One club in November.

The first half comes to an end and it remains all square.

Port Vale have called Saddlers goalkeeper Neil Etheridge into action a few times.

What would new Walsall boss Sean O'Driscoll think of his first 45 minutes in charge of the club?

The tempo rising sharply in the closing minutes of the first half at Bescot Stadium.

Port Vale creating the better of the chances, but noise from the home fans willing Walsall on now.

Walsall's Paul Downing concedes a free-kick in a dangerous area with a tackle on Byron Moore.

Michael O'Connor standing over the ball 25 yards out. Very much his territory, but his curled effort is straight into the hands of Neil Etheridge.

Image source, Rex Features

Port Vale just a lucky break of the ball away from putting Walsall under real threat at the back.

Adam Chambers with a strong tackle on Louis Dodds, but the ball is quickly redirected into the box. Just too heavy for any Port Vale attacker to react to.

The hosts look as if they are happy to try their luck from distance. Romaine Sawyers' latest effort is teed up deliberately, rather than being an opportunistic snap goalward.

It, too, was off target.

We'll be concentrating on the Championship once this game's over. Sheffield Wednesday v Wolves kicks things off in the second tier...

Neil Etheridge makes a fine save, pushing the ball around the post as Sam Kelly's shot for Port Vale looked on its way into the bottom corner.

Image source, Rex Features

Port Vale manager Rob Page would have to be the happier of the two bosses right now.

Against a high-flying Walsall side, Vale are holding strong, while now creating a little in the way of chances for themselves.

Sure, there were lengthy talks with Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite following their FA Cup exit to League Two Exeter recently. But surely keeping pace with the play-off places by taking something from today will make for a happy Vale camp for Christmas.

A free-kick from a promising position down their right side for Port Vale. The ball is delightfully swung in, but Richard Duffy gets too much on it as he rises highest to head off target.

Port Vale targeting Walsall's left flank, are they seeing Andy Taylor as a weak link in the Saddlers defence? He stands strong for now, but I imagine there will be more for him to do.

Want a snapshot of the first half? Well with seven outfield bodies inside their own penalty area, you get a picture of just what Walsall have to try break down to force a genuine chance.

Romaine Sawyers tees up from distance again and that is six shots, only one of which has demanded any attention from goalkeeper Jak Alnwick.

Plenty for new Walsall boss Sean O'Driscoll to ponder.

Image source, Rex Features

Port Vale much more direct, forcing a corner down the right as James O'Connor needs to clear danger for Walsall.

George Evans and Romaine Sawyers seeing a lot of the ball at their feet, but time and time again Port Vale stand strong and suffocate Walsall's attack.

And there is it again, at the first glimpse of a few yards of space on the edge of the area and the hosts go for goal. It is Sawyers this time well off target.

Walsall spoiled for space in midfield, Port Vale just hanging off with a floating wall of bodies that is frustrating the hosts.

Nothing but long-distance shots, which are easily blocked, coming from the Saddlers in a period of dominant play.

Image source, Rex Features