by Swindon Town conceded when they lost 2-1 away to relegation-chasing Walsall.
After an opening 20 minutes the hosts deservedly took the lead when Mo Faal headed home a corner as Swindon struggled to create many clear-cut chances.
After weathering a few more waves of Walsall pressure, Paul Glatzel fired home a fine equalizer to extend his own rich form in front of goal, but Danny Johnson came off the bench to net the winner in the 90th minute.
This late heartbreak ends Swindon’s short run and they will now need to win their final two league games to improve the points total for the Beamish Line.
Gavin Gunning made three changes to the side that beat AFC Wimbledon four days ago. Joel McGregor got his first league start when he came on alongside Tom Brewitt and match winner Dawson Devoy on Saturday. They replaced Zac Elbouzedi, George McEachran, and the suspended Udoka Godwin-Malife.
With their entire season more or less entirely dependent on this game, the hosts opened with fierce intensity. Donervon Daniels was sticking long balls at Town early on and forcing defensive headers that were a bit desperate.
After eight minutes Walsall had a golden opportunity as after an initial cross was half-cleared, Ross Tierney was able to pick out an unmarked Faal on the edge of the six-yard box, but it was drive and chance for the big striker. .
Less than a minute later the Saddlers came even closer when Faal won a long ball from Brewitt and flicked it to Josh Gordon, who darted from the edge of the box and curled the outside of the post.
In the tenth minute, the hosts got the goal their play deserved when a corner from the left was struck well into the six yard box and the tall figure of Faal rose the highest to nod into the back of the net.
Swindon struggled to cope with the intensity and it might have been another goal when a free-kick from deep was cut into the path of Tierney as he scrambled behind the wall as he looked to shoot but was unable to to hold down.
Town’s first shot didn’t come until the 25th minute as they worked the ball in from the left as Williams Kokolo made a smart run inside and headed in from the angle, but Owen Evans went wide.
All the chances continued to fall in the end and a high ball fell to Isaac Hutchinson at the top of the box. He hit his effort into the ground and it went up dangerously, but Jack Bycoft did well to save it.
Jake Cain took a corner from the right and Frazer found Blake-Tracy at the far post. He bought the ball back across but Paul Glatzel’s outstretched leg was unable to clear it and Walsall were able to take the lead.
By the end of the opening 45, Swindon were starting to give as good as they got and Walsall pushed back. They were finishing well but there was still real danger from the hosts on the counter attack.
Less than a minute into the second half Brewitt went down with injury, which meant Harley Hunt stepped up for his professional debut on the right of the back three.
Walsall looked very dangerous early in the second and would be left scratching their heads at how they failed to double the lead when Tierney played a goal two to give Kokolo a goal and His low ball across the goal was found by David Okagbue. The winger had the goal at his mercy but he rose over the top from two yards out without explanation.
With Town still struggling to make much progress, Gunning opted for a three-time change to bring forward Charlie Austin, George McEachran, and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy as an attacking threat.
After a period of wrestling back control, this had the desired effect after 68 minutes when Blake-Tracy went forward from behind. He worked the ball out to Kokolo and an overlap from Hepburn-Murphy created space for a pass into Glatzel. He took a touch and fired a superb strike into the top corner to level.
The hosts’ desperation to find the all-important goal was to create space for Town’s pace at the back and first Zac Elbouzedi fired over the top and then Hepburn-Murphy picked the roof of the net with a neat lob from a tight angle.
In the nick of time, Jamille’s cross found the head of Matt and he bent down for Johnson to volley mercilessly into the far corner of the net to give Walsall the win they needed.
WFC starting XI: Evans, Okagbue, Daniels, Hutchinson, Foulkes, Gordon, Allen, Faal, Stirk, Tierney.
WFC representatives: Barrett, Farquharson, Matt, Knowles, James-Taylor, Jellis, Johnson.
STFC starting XI: Bycroft, Blake-Tracy, Glatzel, Brewitt, Cain, Kokolo, Devoy, Drinan, McCarthy, McGregor.
STFC Representatives: Brann, McEachran, Elbouzedi, Hepburn-Murphy, Aguiar, Austin, Hunt.
Attendance: 4,709 (309 away).
