Carlisle and Walsall fought-out a very even 0-0 draw at Brunton Park in which defences ruled, as the scoreline suggests.
The point each was certainly the right result for what both teams served up – and they meet again next week in the second round of the FA Cup.
Walsall had won their last three games and were close to opening the scoring on two minutes when top scorer Danny Johnson fired just past the post.
Generally though, it was Carlisle who looked the most likely to score for the rest of the half with Jack Armer forcing Owen Evans into a good save to keep out his close range header.
There were also opportunities for Callum Guy and Taylor Charters to open the scoring for Carlisle but they were spurned.
In the second half Walsall were the more dangerous side with home keeper Tomas Holy doing well to turn away an effort from Johnson and Jacob Maddox not far away with a good effort from the edge of the area.
The visitors kept forcing the pace and Maddox was just wide with one effort and the outstanding Liam Gordon had one great shot which just cleared the bar.
Carlisle could have snatched the win near the end as Feeney’s long-range effort was too high and a header from Ryan Edmondson in injury-time dropped wide of the post.
