Exeter and Forest Green shared the spoils in an entertaining but goalless draw at St James Park on Saturday.

Forest Green had the first chance of the game when former Exeter loanee Kane Wilson got in on the right, but he was denied by a terrific save by Cameron Dawson.

From the resulting corner, the ball looked destined for the net, but it rolled across goal and behind with two Rovers players sliding in but unable to get the crucial touch.

Josh Key then made a vital interception to deny Jack Aitchison what seemed like a certain goal, while Exeter were seeing plenty of the ball, but their execution in the final third was letting them down.

Jamille Matt then sent a glancing header onto the roof of the net, while Regan Hendry went close with a long-range shot that went just wide.

Matt glanced another header wide, while Sam Nombe was off target for Exeter after being put through on goal by Matt Jay.

Dawson again came to Exeter’s rescue, saving superbly to deny Matt, while Baily Cargill volleyed wide after an error by Pierce Sweeney, but it was a game where defences were largely on top.

Rovers boss Rob Edwards said: “We knew what we were coming up against today, coming up against similar opposition and it becomes a bit man to man.

“They are a good team, at home with the fans. But we had a real professionalism about us. I thought we had a bit of steel and looked mature today.

“It was a really mature away performance. We quietened the fans down well and at times we showed some real quality and bravery. It was a good, tactical battle.

“They have got some good payers and you can see they are well coached and they have got some threats.

“We defended very well and because of the chances we had, I do think we deserved to take the three points.

“We had some good chances in the second half. I was really pleased with the lads today. We came here to do a job and if you don’t win it, you pick up a point.

“We are always happy if we keep a clean sheet. I knew they would come because we have got good defenders and we want to keep the ball out of the net.

“We showed a good balance of being pragmatic and then having a threat in an attacking sense so that was really pleasing.”