Exeter manager Matt Taylor was pleased with the efforts of his players but admitted they lacked that bit of quality to break down stubborn Walsall at St James Park.

Despite dominating from start to finish, the Grecians could not turn their dominance into chances and ultimately goals as the Saddlers, who failed to register a shot on target, defended stoutly to keep Exeter at bay.

“I was really pleased with the effort and endeavour, but we were a little bit short on quality at times,” Taylor said.

“It was going to take a break of the ball or a little bit of quality and we had some good opportunities, probably mainly from set pieces.

“But it was difficult to create for both teams and those opportunities were only really half opportunities tonight.

“We have to turn those half opportunities into better efforts, or make their goalkeeper work, or create a goal off the back of it.

“So I can’t fault the effort of the boys, it was a really committed display, we just lacked a bit of something extra to win the game.

“With no disrespect to Walsall, they have probably got what they wanted out of that game.

“We moved the ball well at times, but it was an ‘almost’ sort of night for us really. Credit to Walsall, they defended their box well and any gaps which were there for a split second went pretty quickly.”

Brian Dutton, in caretaker charge of the Saddlers after the departure of Darrell Clarke to Port Vale last month, admitted the match was low on quality, but he was also proud of the battling qualities that his team showed.

“It was one for the realist. Definitely not one you would want to pay money for if you wanted to see free-flowing, attacking football,” he said.

“But if you want to pay £10 or whatever the iFollow charge is to see real men going out on the pitch and rolling their sleeves up and giving everything for the badge, we got that in abundance tonight.

“So we are delighted that we came away with a hard-earned point.

“That is what we have got to work towards, getting that solid foundation that allows us to build on in a game. It’s no good conceding soft goals, it gives you such a mountain to climb.

“We are definitely not free flowing in terms of being able to score goals at will at the minute so it makes perfect sense to organise the defensive aspects of the game.

“Everybody is available but if you don’t take your opportunity, we have players waiting patiently in the wings for their opportunity. You have got to go out there and perform.”