Michael Dobson and Tommy Mooney gave the Saddlers the perfect start, only for Pools to put the grit between their teeth and fightback through Michael Mackay and Brown's last minute leveller.

Brown, who hastily rejected claims Ben Clark had got the last touch, said it made a pleasant change to get a reward for their efforts.

He said: "From going 2-0 down early on in the game, we have come back well and scored a late goal which is something we haven't managed to do this season and it was nice.

"I didn't know what was happening in the first minutes. I was thinking 'whoa, are we going to get a hiding here or what?'.

"But the lads showed great character and we could have won the game easily - we had enough chances in the second half.

"We are happy with the draw in the end though.

"We had nothing to play for really, just pride. We could have thrown in the towel at 2-0 down, but we showed we are still fighting and we battled back to get a point at the end of the day."

Brown, Mackay and David Foley interchanged fluently throughout the 90 minutes and caused the Saddlers plenty of problems, despite it being the first time they had played together.

Brown said if the three young forwards could take that into next season, it will only help the club in the long term.

He said: "I don't think me Foles and Macca have played together before. Obviously we are all young lads as well and that can only benefit Hartlepool.

"We have caused Walsall at the back plenty of problems and could have easily scored more goals.

"Michael is a very good finisher in and around the box on either foot. He has showed it there with the goal and a nice finish."

Brown's late goal was his 13th of the season and he admitted it had been a mixed season with some impressive glimpses of form contrasting with the club's disappointing finish and a number of spells on the sidelines for the 21-year-old.

He said: "Obviously at the start of the season, I was playing well and the injury didn't help halfway through. I missed about 12 games which I didn't want to do especially when I had suffered an injury the year before and missed a lot of games.

"But I came back and scored a few goals and I was pretty happy.

"I can take it pretty easy now over the summer and not look at a football for a bit and relax."