Brentford were held to a 0-0 draw by Carlisle United at Griffin Park in a game full of hustle and bustle but with few clear cut chances.

In a frenetic first half The Bees held the upper hand but couldn't break through and with neither side able to get the vital goal after the re-start the points were shared.

Brentford will probably feel most disappointed not have grabbed all three points as they had the best openings.

Charlie Ide and John Mousinho fired over early in the game while Michael Leary headed wide from close range when he met a dangerous Joe Keith free-kick.

Ide had a header tipped over and landed a snap shot on the top of the net after a nice Neil Shipperley lay-off.

Carlisle had the ball in the net early on through Karl Hawley but it was ruled out for offside and the same player flicked a header inches wide.

Nathan Abbey was forced into a smart save after a Chris Lumsden free-kick flicked off Mousinho and Kevin Gall shot straight at the Bees' goalkeeper soon after.

Ide had a good opening when fed by Shipperley but pulled his shot across the face of goal and Brentford's debutant striker headed narrowly over from a Keith cross just before the break.

After half time the game lacked the end-to-end football but with both teams determined not to give an inch the football was just as interesting.

Shipperley had a drilled shot blocked by Peter Murphy and Gall shot wastefully over at the other end after a Hawley pass.

Abbey saved well from Paul Murray after he exchanged passes with Hawley and darted into the box and Hawley missed the target with two long range efforts.

Jo Kuffour had a great chance to win the game when he controlled a poor defensive header ten yards out and turned free of his man but he sliced his shot wide.

So Brentford had to settle for a point and their first clean sheet in Coca-Cola League One since September.

Brentford: Abbey; Osborne, Griffiths, Frampton, Tillen; Ide, Mousinho, Leary, Keith (sub Brooker 77 mins); Kuffour, Shipperley (sub Willock 82 mins)

Subs (not used): Masters, Charles, Pinault

Bookings: Leary (45 mins) (fifth of season) (suspended for one match, Blackpool, February 3), Kuffour (55 mins) (second of season), Frampton (87 mins) (third of season)

Carlisle United: Westwood; Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Aranalde; Murray (sub Garner 75 mins), Thirlwell, Lumsden (sub McDermott 18 mins), Smith (sub Holmes 89 mins); Gall, Hawley

Subs (not used):Williams, Gray

Bookings: Raven (27 mins), Aranalde (40 mins)

Attendance: 5,381 (605 Carlisle fans)

Written by Chris Wickham