Darrell Clarke called on his Port Vale front line to be more clinical after they were held to a goalless draw by unbeaten Carlisle.

The first period was full of half chances, as Nathan Smith rattled the crossbar with an overhead kick for Vale, before Tristan Abrahams could only fire straight at the keeper as he went in on goal for the visitors.

The game petered out in a low-quality second half with neither side able to create a clear-cut effort, with a smattering of boos ringing around Vale Park at full-time.

Vale have not scored in their three league games so far, and a frustrated Clarke said: “It was deja vu for me, it was a mixture of good defending from my side and then bad finishing.

“The final ball has to be better, we’ve hit the crossbar and post again just like the last home game, it is fine margins that we aren’t getting at the moment.

“We have to be better with the timing of our runs and end product, and we have to take chances when they come along.

“I hate to say it, we didn’t get the rub of the green, but no one wants to hear that.

“Our keeper didn’t have a lot to do, but we have to be more clinical. We created those clear-cut chances we looked dangerous like we did against Tranmere on Saturday.

“Yes it is back-to-back clean sheets, but we want to win games. It’s early days and there are good signs but we need goals and we haven’t got them.

“Everything falls on me, I have no problem with that, now we stick together and go again. We have good spirit, it’s outstanding, and we regroup for Saturday.”

Carlisle sit sixth in the fledgling table, unbeaten after three games.

The have conceded just once so far, scoring twice, and face Leyton Orient next.

Boss Chris Beech said: “It was a tough evening where we were asked a lot of different questions.

“It was a good display, every incident saw balls coming back into the box, they were being pumped into the box and we had to deal with that.

“To deal with them and then for their best chance to be from what, 25 yards out rocket shot, is great and I am very pleased with the lads tonight.

“In these games we will be asked questions, I can’t wait for Saturday now. I really enjoyed tonight because it was different questions asked of us and the lads said ‘no, you’re not scoring tonight’.

“That is commendable for us really good and we will get ready for Saturday, facing great team and manager in Kenny Jackett I look up to from afar, so we will prepare right and be ready. We will have to be right at it to make a game of it on Saturday.”