Tranmere 3 Walsall 3

Walsall stole a point towards their survival fight with a stoppage time equaliser after two late goals at Tranmere.

The Saddlers were 3-1 down with 85 minutes gone after leading at Prenton Park, but strikes from Jonathan Macken and Andy Butler four minutes after the 90 saved them from defeat.

Walsall had opened the scoring through Matt Richards in the first-half, who put through his own net for Tranmere's equaliser, before Aaron Cresswell's goal for the home side in first-half stoppage time.

Albion loanee Lateef Elford-Alliyu extended the hosts' lead after the break and looked to have killed off the Saddlers, before the late show.

It was a mixed day for Richards, who had got caretaker boss Dean Smith's reign as manager off to a flying start on 32 minutes, catching the ball on the half volley from 18 yards after the Tranmere defence failed to clear Paul Marshall's corner.

However, Richards' own goal restored parity four minutes before half-time, Elford-Alliyu's cross bouncing off the Walsall midfielder and into the net.

But it still looked as if Walsall would go in at half-time level, until Cresswell struck from a free kick 25 yards out three minutes into stoppage time.

The game looked to have slipped away from the Saddlers after Tranmere got a third 11 minutes into the second-half, Elford-Alliyu's first goal for the club, tucking Dale Jennings' cross in low from 15 yards.

That looked to be that until Macken gave Walsall a glimmer of hope five minutes from time, his shot deflecting in from 12 yards for 3-2.

And Butler completed the fightback with the equaliser deep in stoppage time, Macken the provider by putting in a cross that the defender flung himself for a bullet header into the net.

A point leaves the Saddlers bottom but pulls them to eight points from safety, with Tranmere occupying 20th place.