The frontman scored his 13th of the season in the fourth minute of injury time to earn a point for Danny Wilson's men who had made an excellent fightback.

Both sides looked far from solid at the back and after a decent start from Pools, they found themselves 2-0 down inside 15 minutes - Michael Dobson and Tommy Mooney getting the goals.

But Pools narrowed the gap in the 19th minute through Michael Mackay's sixth of the season and set up a very one-sided second half.

Danny Wilson's men were all over the Saddlers who struggled to get out of their own half. Pools just couldn't manage an equaliser, despite countless opportunities and one gilt-edge chance for Mackay.

But Brown popped up to grab a point and send the partying away fans into raptures.

Wilson made just one change in the starting lineup, with Michael Mackay replacing the injured Joel Porter and partnering James Brown up front.

Ben Clark continued in his midfield role, sitting just in front of the back four.

Foley had the first effort for Pools in the fourth minute when he came inside from the right flank and attempted to drive one inside the near post with his left, but the ball went a good couple of yards wide of the upright.

Mackay should have done better moments later after he had done all the hardwork to control a sweet long pass from Nelson. The striker took the ball down, took it around the outside of the defender, but smashed it over the top.

Walsall took the lead in the ninth minute out of nothing. Mooney played a square ball to DOBSON who was left in space on the edge of the area and he fired it sweetly into the top corner.

Clark almost gave Pools an instant reply but he fired his shot inches wide of the post.

It was end-to-end action and Walsall should have doubled their lead in the 11th minute. The ball was played inside Clark who lost the leg race with Betsy. He pulled the ball back into the six-yard box where Lee-Barrett spilled it into the path of Mooney. It was a narrow angle for the veteran striker and he put the ball wide of the far post.

Pools were looking vulnerable to Betsy's pace at the back and a break from the striker resulted in him playing a reverse ball into the path of Nicholls. His scuffed shot from 18 yards was fired just wide of the far stick.

Walsall did double their lead in the 15th minute as MOONEY scored on his last ever appearance in English football. The veteran striker had far too much room from 15 yards out and had the time to plant a shot into the far corner.

Pools pulled one back in the 19th minute to continue the incredible start to the game. Humphreys' cross was not dealt with at all by the Walsall defence and found MACKAY on the back post. He fired in a left-footed half volley that Saddlers keeper Ince couldn't keep out.

Betsy missed a gilt-edged chance for Walsall in the 23rd minute. Mooney nodded a cross back into Betsy's path but he completely mis-timed his header and put it harmlessly wide.

Both sides were looking vulnerable at the back as Monkhouse's low cross across the six-yard box was deflected gratefully into the arms of Ince.

HALF-TIME Walsall 2 Pools 1

Monkhouse had a chance four minutes after the interval. Mackay put in an inswinging cross from the left and Monkhouse was taken by surprise as the ball bypassed all the defenders and bounced harmlessly off his head into the arms of the keeper.

Brown had a sniff of goal in the 53rd minute after Monkhouse got to the right by-line and sent a beautiful cross to the back stick. The ball just seemed to run out of pace though as it reached Brown and he couldn't get enough power on it to seriously test Ince.

The back of Monkhouse's head prevented a hairy moment for Lee-Barrett as Taundry's dangerous free-kick looked to be heading straight-in, only to bounce off the Pools winger.

Clark almost made the Walsall keeper pay for a mistake in the 67th minute. Ince spilled Clark's side-footer from the edge of the area, but Boland was offside as he went for the follow up.

Collins had a header cleared off the line moments later as he met Foley's corner with a thumping header.

Pools were enjoying a dominant spell and only a brilliant block from Taundry stopped Mackay getting his second as he met Nelson's knock-down with a thumping volley.

Mackay missed a sitter in the 75th minute. Sweeney knocked the ball down from cross, Brown got a toe to it and fed it to Mackay six yards out. But the former Consett man blasted over the top on the turn.

Clark met Robson's pacy cross from the left with a firm header, but there was no direction on it and it was a comfortable low save for Ince.

Pools had yet another chance when Monkhouse drifted across the pitch and slipped Foley in inside the full-back. The winger took a touch and fired it in low, but Ince managed to parry.

Lee-Barrett produced an excellent piece of goalkeeping to deny Walsall on the break. Betsy put Demontagnac through on goal but the Pools stopper just managed to get to the ball ahead of the Saddlers winger.

Demontagnac almost added a third in injury time, but his shot from the edge of the box went just wide.

BROWN rescued a point for Pools in the fourth minute of injury time. Foley raced down the left-hand side and pulled it back into the box for Brown to score his 13th of the season.

FULL-TIME Walsall 2 Pools 2

Walsall: Ince, Weston, Taundry, Gerrard, Smith, Nicholls (Craddock 85), Dobson, Bradley (Wrack 78), Demontagnac, Mooney, Betsy. Subs: Deeney, N'Dour, Gilmartin. Booked: Mooney (85)

Pools: Lee-Barrett, Sweeney, Nelson, Collins, Humphreys (Robson 61), Foley, Liddle (Boland 52), Clark, Monkhouse, Mackay, Brown. Subs: McCunnie, Elliott, Antwi. Booked: Sweeney (56)

Referee: Mike Thorpe (Suffolk)