Rochdale 3 Walsall 3

Andy Butler struck a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to snatch Walsall a priceless point after they blew a 2-0 lead at Rochdale.

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro fired Dale 3-2 ahead in the 93rd minute after Jason Kennedy and Michael Symes' penalty levelled for the hosts.

But the Saddlers hit back instantly when Butler looped in a header following a long punt from the kick off.

• See more pictures in our gallery to your right

Emmanuel Ledesma and Joe Widdowson's own goal put Walsall in control at half time and seemingly on course for a routine win.

It leaves them two points clear of fourth-bottom Wycombe, who snatched their own last-minute equaliser in their 1-1 draw at Stevenage.

Lee Beevers was injured in training yesterday so Darryl Westlake made his first start in three months and Jon Macken failed to recover from his hamstring problem meaning George Bowerman partnered Ledesma.

Rochdale needed to win to keep their slim survival hopes alive and forced three corners in the opening few minutes with Mat Sadler blocking smartly from Gary Jones.

Kevan Hurst and Florent Cuvelier shot over in a quiet opening 15 minutes with the hosts bossing possession but doing little to hurt the Saddlers.

Dale looked more dangerous but the visitors comfortably dealt with any threat – before they rocked the hosts on 25 minutes.

There seemed little danger when Sam Mantom's persistence saw the ball run for Ledesma 25-yards out but the Argentine struck a low bullet which arrowed into the bottom corner.

It was a stunner from the striker – his second in two games – but Rochdale rallied to pin the Saddlers back.

The hosts continued to edge possession with little cutting edge but David Grof had to be alert to claim Kennedy's strike after it clipped Akpa Akpro on 37 minutes.

But the Saddlers shrugged off the scare to double their lead a minute later. Ledesma swung in a free kick from the right and Widdowson, under pressure from Butler, looped a header into his own net from 12-yards.

The hosts would have felt aggrieved and their tempers boiled over at half time when Ledesma clashed with Kevin Amankwaah.

The tangle left the Argentine bleeding and suggesting he was elbowed with Dale boss John Coleman involved in a spat with Smith on the touchline.

Dale were riled and forced four consecutive corners immediately after the break but Walsall almost extended their lead twice within a couple of minutes.

Cuvelier's shot was deflected wide before Hurst sliced a volley wide at the far post after 56 minutes.

The hosts reacted by throwing Nicky Adams on for the ineffective Ashley Grimes and pulled a goal back on 66 minutes with their 15th corner of the game as Kevin Long nodded the ball down for Kennedy to pounce from three yards.

The Saddlers were on the ropes and Symes wasted a glorious chance to level when he swept wide with the goal gaping from 10-yards after Akpa-Akpro beat Westlake.

Will Grigg replaced Bowerman as Dean Smith looked for a game-clinching third but the hosts continued to press and Symes headed wide with 14 minutes left.

The striker didn't have to wait long for a goal though when the hosts were awarded a penalty with eight minutes remaining.

Kennedy bamboozled Sadler on the touchline to wriggle into the box and the left-back clumsily felled the midfielder for Symes to send Grof the wrong way from the spot.

It set up a frantic climax and Grof tipped Andrew Tutte's shot wide on 87 minutes before Akpa Akpro crashed in from six yards in the third minute of stoppage time.

The Saddlers looked crushed but from the kick off Sadler launched a long ball and Butler nodded over the stranded Dave Lucas for a stunning finish.