Report by Ben Davis

With nine minutes remaining it seemed Tranmere had done enough to secure all three points as they lead 2-1 with Pompey hardly threatening, that is, until Paul Hall struck with a bizarre goal. His shot from 20-yards hit the post but bounced into the net off the back of Tranmere's keeper Simon Simonsen. Once again Pompey showed what character they've got after equalising in the last minute against Birmingham. A win at Stoke will sink them and boost Pompey's chances of definite survival.
David Hillier returned to the side in place of Martin Allen and Paul Hall returned to the squad with a place on the bench. Tranmere were without main striker David Kelly but their side did include Dave Challinor who holds the world record for the longest ever throw-in. A sizeable contingent had made they way up from the south coast as play begin in miserable conditions.
Pompey had a scare after five minutes when a Gary Jones effort hit the cross-bar and striker was denied by Flahavan moments later. Tranmere though did take the lead after 14 minutes. John Morrissey weaved past a couple of defenders before chipping in a cross which Gary Jones headed back across Flahavan and into the net via the post.
The weather perhaps wasn't helping Pompey's cause as Tranmere continued to put them under pressure. However, Pompey equalised seven minutes later. Simpson won a tackle and found McLoughlin who played a good pass through to Aloisi. The Aussie looked certain to score but Simonsen blocked his effort only for it to role to Durnin to tapped it home.
Despite the equaliser it was still all Tranmere with Flahavan doing his best to keep Pompey in it. One player though who was having another storming game was defender Andy Awford as he seemed to intercept anything that came his way. Fitzroy Simpson too was playing well but the weak link was Matt Robinson who was getting turned inside and out by Morrissey as he was for the first goal.
Half-time gave Alan Ball the opportunity to encourage his players to win the game as it was still all there for the taking at 1-1. On 53 minutes though some woeful defending from a corner allowed Tranmere to retake the lead and wreck Ball's strategic plans. Morrissey corner caused all havoc in the area which eventually ended with Challinor thumping in a shot past Flahavan.
That rocked Pompey and suddenly they were all over the place and had Tranmere been more clinical it could have been all over. Jones was angry that he had a goal disallowed for offside before Flahavan made his best save of the match. Irons, who had been giving Pethick a hard time down the left, slipped through Pompey's defence and only had the keeper to beat. Flahavan though came off his line quickly, stood up well, and deflected the shot away to safety.
Ball realised Pompey were against so Paul Hall came on and his pace immediately set the Tranmere defence back. Then with 9 minutes remaining Pompey equalised with most bizarre goal I've seen. Hall picked up the ball on the left before cutting inside and cracking in a shot from 20-yards. That hit the post and bounced back off Simonsen and into the net.
Tranmere though may well have snatched the points when their young substitute Parkinson was inches away from converting a cross by Irons. Pompey though hung for the draw and that freak goal may well be the difference between relegation and survival.