Pre-season: Tranmere 0 Walsall 0 - Report

In and uneventful friendly at Prenton Park, both sides largely cancelled each other out with very little chances created.

The best opportunity fell to Josh Gordon in the first-half but he fired wide from six-yards when he should have scored.

For Tranmere, Stefan Payne beat the offside trap before seeing a shot saved by Liam Roberts.

Overall though, the clash proved to be a stalemate played very much at a pre-season pace.

Report

With just seven days until the competitive action gets underway, Clarke opted to stick with a three-at-the-back system in Birkenhead.

Gary Liddle came into the side just 24-hours after joining on a free transfer while Morgan Ferrier was given his first start of pre-season upfront.

Tranmere lined up in a 4-2-3-1 system with ex-Saddler Kieron Morris on the right, Harvey Gilmour on the left, Connor Jennings in the number 10 role and Stefan Payne upfront.

At a rain-soaked Prenton Park, the opening 45 minutes proved to be keenly contested with little goal-mouth action.

It was Walsall who threatened first with Liam Kinsella trying his luck from 20-yards.

The midfielder's effort was initially spilt by Scott Davies but the keeper reacted well to get to the ball just ahead of Ferrier.

Tranmere responded with Ollie Banks seeing a delicious strike from distance curl just wide.

But both teams were struggling to deal with the wet surface, with standing water having gathered in all four corners of the pitch.

And with the ball often stopping in its tracks, there had to be a break in play in the 17th minute as ground staff tried to make the surface more playable.

Despite the conditions, both teams had decent chances to open the scoring before half-time.

The hosts threatened when Payne broke the offside trap before seeing a fierce drive beaten away by Roberts.

Then just before the break, Walsall had a glorious chance their noses in front.

Shay Facey's cross was knocked down by Ferrier into the path of Gordon who was just six-yards from goal.

But despite being centrally placed, the striker then fired wide when he should have scored.

Clarke made two changes at the break with Stuart Sinclair and Dan Scarr replacing Kinsella and James Clarke.

With the game continuing to be something of a stalemate, Walsall then made more substitutions just before the hour mark.

Cameron Norman, Wes McDonald, James Hardy, Rory Holden and Danny Guthrie were all given a chance to stake a claim ahead of the opening day clash at Northampton.

But despite, the changes, there continued to be very little action on the field.

Tranmere did threaten with 10 minutes still to play when Ishmael Miller headed a corner over.

But in truth, the entire second half had been a non-event with no team ever really looking like they would go on to win it.