Tranmere Rovers2-2Rotherham United

Tranmere Rovers were denied a second home win of the League Two season in agonising fashion as Rotherham United converted a penalty deep into stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw at Prenton Park.

Zane Okoro gave Darrell Clarke's side a 16th-minute lead and Rovers carried that advantage into the interval. Aaron Nemane levelled for Rotherham with six minutes of normal time remaining, only for Tom Ince to restore Tranmere's lead three minutes later. There was still time for Jordan Davies to strike the post before Bobby Faulkner conceded a penalty and was sent off in the fourth added minute, allowing Tom Bradshaw to equalise from the spot at 90+6.

Clarke set Rovers up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Joe Ironside leading the line and Okoro, Ince and Dylan Jones operating behind him. The hosts made the sharper start and went ahead after Jones' effort from outside the area was saved by Ted Cann. The danger was not cleared and Okoro was on hand in the centre of the box to steer a right-footed finish into the bottom-left corner.

Tranmere continued to pose the greater threat through the remainder of the first half. Ince sent an effort wide in the 27th minute, Jones fired over soon afterwards and an Ironside shot was blocked. Rotherham offered a warning when Kian Spence forced Luke McGee into a low save, but Rovers went close again shortly before the break when Jones' shot from an Ironside headed pass was blocked. The half-time whistle arrived with the home side deservedly one goal ahead.

Rotherham began the second period with greater urgency. Ewan Otoo twice missed the target and efforts from Jili Buyabu and Brandon Cover were blocked as the visitors attempted to build pressure. Clarke responded just after the hour with three changes: Charlie Whitaker replaced Jones, Jordan Davies came on for Okoro and Tom Conlon took over from Sam Finley. Davies quickly became involved and forced Cann into a save in the 79th minute.

Nathan Smith and Courtney Baker-Richardson were introduced for Jordan Turnbull and Ironside with nine minutes remaining, but Rotherham finally found a way through in the 84th minute. Ar'Jany Martha's shot travelled across the area and Nemane finished from close range to make it 1-1.

Rovers produced what looked like the decisive response almost immediately. In the 87th minute Jacob Slater supplied Ince in the centre of the penalty area, and the experienced forward swept a left-footed finish into the top-right corner. The celebrations nearly continued when Davies struck the left post from outside the box in the 90th minute after Baker-Richardson's headed pass.

That miss became painfully significant during a chaotic period of added time. Faulkner, who had already been booked in the 74th minute, fouled Bradshaw inside the area and was shown a red card. Bradshaw kept his composure through the protests and delay, sending the resulting penalty into the bottom-right corner to rescue Rotherham a point. Davies and McGee were also booked before the final whistle.

The draw leaves Tranmere unbeaten after four League Two matches, with one victory and three draws. The post-match table placed Rovers 10th on six points and Rotherham 13th on five. There was plenty to admire in the way Clarke's side twice took the lead, but the final moments made this feel much more like two points lost than one gained.