Tranmere Rovers1-1Walsall

Tranmere Rovers were denied a home win in the opening minutes of added time as Walsall snatched a 1-1 League Two draw at Prenton Park. Bobby Faulkner's header had put Darrell Clarke's side ahead in the 73rd minute after Joe Ironside's first-half penalty was saved, but Reece Smith levelled for the visitors at 90+1. It was a painful finish to an afternoon in which Rovers created more than enough openings to take all three points.
Clarke set Tranmere up in a 4-2-3-1, with Ironside leading the line and Tom Ince, Zane Okoro and Charlie Whitaker behind him. The hosts began on the front foot. Will Vaulks tested Jed Ward from distance in the fifth minute, Jacob Slater had another effort held, and Whitaker forced two saves as Rovers worked their way into promising positions. Walsall threatened too, notably when Aaron Pressley sent a close-range chance over after Andy Dallas had supplied him in the 28th minute.
The biggest opening before the break came from the spot. Whitaker was fouled in the area by Sven Sprangler in the 34th minute, but Ward dived to his right to keep out Ironside's penalty a minute later. Tranmere kept pressing: Ward turned away an Ince drive, then dealt with Tom Conlon's ambitious effort from more than 35 yards. Whitaker was denied again immediately after the penalty, while Ince lifted a later attempt over. For all that pressure, the sides went in level at 0-0.
Rovers continued to make chances after half-time. Ince brought another save from Ward, and Clarke introduced Dylan Jones for Ironside in the 61st minute. At the other end, Harrison Male stopped Dallas from close range, although the Walsall attack was then flagged offside. Okoro missed from the centre of the box after an Ince cross, Jones had a shot blocked, and Ince went close from outside the area on a break. The contest remained open, but Tranmere's next set piece finally brought a reward.
Two minutes after Jordan Davies replaced Okoro, Vaulks delivered a corner from which Faulkner rose to head home from the left side of the six-yard box. The defender's 73rd-minute goal appeared to have settled a match that Tranmere had largely shaped with their chances. Jones nearly added a second in the 79th minute, only for Ward to save his shot from the centre of the area. Rovers carried their slender lead into the closing stages, with Sam Finley and Lee O'Connor introduced in the 89th minute.
Walsall, however, had one final response. Will Etheridge, who had come on in the 87th minute, supplied Smith inside the area and the Walsall midfielder rolled a right-footed shot into the bottom-left corner at 90+1. Walsall pushed again in the remaining added time, but a Tai Sodje effort was blocked and the game ended 1-1. Ward's penalty save and series of stops had kept the visitors within reach long enough for Smith to make the late chance count.
The draw leaves Tranmere 10th in League Two on 11 points after eight games, according to the table imported on Sunday morning, while fifth-placed Walsall have 14 points and remain unbeaten. For Rovers, Faulkner's goal and the volume of chances showed what was possible; the missed penalty and stoppage-time equaliser made the result feel like two points lost. The attendance at Prenton Park was 7,729.