Tranmere 1 Walsall 1 - match report

The Saddlers looked set for three points as they lead courtesy of Milan Lalkovic's superb 18th minute opener.

But Stockton was afforded time to shoot and his effort got the better of visiting keeper Richard O'Donnell.

Neither side then came close to a winner as the game petered out into a disappointing draw.

Disappointing that is for the Saddlers who from the moment Lalkovic put them ahead had looked to be heading to a routine away win.

Dean Smith's men dominated the first half and though the hosts came into the game more in the second period, O'Donnell was rarely tested.

But as the old saying goes, you are never fully safe at 1-0 and so it proved.

James Chambers kept his place at right-back as Dean Smith made two changes to the side which started against Sheffield United on New Year's Day, with Craig Westcarr returning to replace Troy Hewitt and Ashley Hemmings coming in for James Baxendale.

Tranmere's James Rowe and Walsall's Romaine Sawyers both saw shots blocked in the opening ten minutes, while Hemmings curled an effort high and wide of the goal from distance.

Sawyers was then guilty of dallying a little too long after being sent clear by a clever Westcarr pass, allowing Stephen Arthurworrey to get back and block.

But there was nothing the home defence could do about Lalkovic's opener on 18 minutes. The Saddlers striker cut inside from the left wing before curling a superb shot past Owain Fon Williams from 25 yards out.

The visitors could have had a second moments later but Westcarr was denied by the home keeper after beating the offside trap.

Home skipper Andy Robinson saw a powerfully driven free-kick deflected behind for a corner.

But it was still the visitors in command and after Sawyers had another shot blocked, Hemmings tested Fon Williams with a long range effort.

Things opened up briefly for the hosts when Sam Mantom was guilty of giving the ball away in midfield but Paul Downing blocked Ryan Lowe's shot. Former Albion man Jason Koumas was also well off target with a shot from the edge of the box.

They posed more of a threat early in the second period when Lowe was allowed space in the box but his low strike was saved by Saddlers keeper Richard O'Donnell – his first serious work of the day.

Sawyers then dragged a shot wide of the far post after latching on to a Westcarr flick, while Robinson hammered an effort off target at the other end. Koumas drilled a free-kick into the wall before being substituted.

Heading into the final 20 minutes, Andy Taylor drilled a shot just wide of the near post after meeting a Lalkovic pull back. The Saddlers goal-scorer was also just off target with a curling effort from the edge of the box.

With 12 minutes to go the hosts drew level with a goal out of nothing. Substitute Stockton was allowed time in the box and O'Donnell could not keep out his low drive – in fairness the Saddlers keeper appeared to be unsighted.

Both sides threatened in the closing stages but neither keeper was seriously tested. For the Saddlers, it was certainly two points dropped.