Rochdale’s James Ball netted deep in stoppage time to rescue a point at the death, in a 1-1 draw with Port Vale at the Crown Oil Arena on Tuesday night.
Ben Garrity’s header just before half-time had given the Valiants the lead and it looked like that would prove to be the difference between the two sides until Ball fired home with minutes left to play.
There were two changes from Saturday’s win over Scunthorpe United, as Alex Newby and Conor Grant came into the side for Luke Charman and Liam Kelly
The visitors tested first from an early corner, with Jamie Proctor hitting wide at the near post.
Up the other end, Conor Grant knocked the ball on for Max Clark who delivered into the area from the left. It was cleared away out of the area, as far as Max Taylor who sent a half-volley wide from range.
Tom Pett then struck a volley well wide, before James Ball threw himself in the way of a powerful Ben Garrity shot from 25-yards, taking the impact in his midriff.
In the 19th minute, Tahvon Campbell latched onto a ball over the top and appeared to be bundled to the ground from behind on the edge of the area, but the referee waved away the protests.
Before the break, Campbell brought a ball down and struck on the turn from 25-yards, but he saw his shot travel narrowly wide of the upright.
And the Valiants broke the deadlock soon after, on the stroke of half-time, when Garrity headed home from a corner.
There was a fairly even start to the second half, with neither team carving out an opportunity.
Manager Robbie Stockdale changed it up just before the hour, as Kelly and Abraham Odoh replaced Grant and Newby, in a double substitution.
A third and final change followed 15 minutes later - Luke Charman replacing Jeriel Dorsett.
As the half progressed, Jay Lynch got a strong hand to Pett’s powerful low drive through a packed box, before calmly collecting Chris Hussey’s curling effort for a free-kick.
It looked like the Valiants were heading for victory, until Ball struck deep in stoppage time. Campbell and Corey O'Keeffe combined before the latter poked the ball through to Ball inside the area and he fired low into the far bottom corner.