SWINDON Town certainly got back to scoring ways against Walsall, but sadly their defence decided to take a night off - at least in their own penalty area.

Jordan Turnbull struck with just under 10 minutes to go to give Town a pointless point in a 3-3 draw with lowly Walsall, after being part of back line that had already conceded three goals to one of the league’s lowest scorers.

Long before Turnbull’s intervention, Wes Foderingham contrived to hand the lead to Walsall, bungling Kieron Morris’ tame shot into his own goal.

Another defensive error, this time from Sam Ricketts, allowed the visitors to double their lead just after the break, through Jordy Hiwula.

Then came the fightback, aided by referee Iain Williamson, whose whistle-happy approach to penalties allowed Ben Gladwin to give Town parity.

Having got themselves back in the game, more careless defending allowed Romaine Sawyers to restore the Walsall advantage.

However, the Robins’ backline would at least restore a bit of credit via Turnbull’s header.

Though he did not get on the scoresheet, Jermaine Hylton should get a lot of credit for turning the game around. He inspired the original comeback and his pace threatened the Saddlers’ back line from the moment of his introduction.

If the time for handing the former Redditch man a start was apparent, it would be at Deepdale on Saturday.

Cooper opted to recall Turnbull straight into his starting XI as part of two changes from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Yeovil. The Town boss moved Jack Stephens back into midfield allowing Gladwin to play the number 10 role in a 3-5-1-1.

Yaser Kasim was also recalled, but Anton Rodgers retained his place, with Massimo Luongo being rested and Michael Smith moved to the bench.

Saddlers’ stopper Richard O’Donnell was a busy man in the opening 10 minutes, called on twice to produce two very different, but equally excellent, saves.

Firstly, Harry Toffolo whipped in a mean corner and Turnbull met it well with a flicked header. It looked destined for the corner of the net but O’Donnell clawed it away to maintain parity.

He was at it again moments later, reacting to Gladwin’s close-range shot, going almost full-length to deny the Town man after connected sweetly with Nathan Byrne’s low cross.

Walsall were not here to simply watch Town play. They had attacking intent of their own and firstly Michael Cain laid down a marker with a strike from distance.

Then Morris had an equally speculative effort, or at least it looked speculative.

Foderingham was right behind it and it looked a comfortable save, but the keeper got his hands in a muddle and spilt the ball over line to give the Saddlers a surprise lead.

After that shock the County Ground was even quieter than usual. Town did nothing to lift the mood. The next 15 minutes drifted past with almost no incident.

When the tedium was broken it was the visitors who managed it, Saddlers’ top scorer Tom Bradshaw turning smartly in the box and firing a low shot at the near post. This time Foderingham kept it out.

There was still no response from Swindon, who were sleepwalking through the half.

The action only picked up in the period’s closing moments. Rodgers struck a sweet curling free-kick that had O’Donnell beaten. Sadly for the Robins it also beat the post.

With the referee looking at his watch for half time, Byrne was presented with a fantastic opportunity to level things up. A move down the left side involving Gladwin and Toffolo allowed the left wing-back to cut back.

It was an inviting ball and Byrne was striding on to it, but tried to side-foot his shot and ended up sending the ball towards the corner flag.

Sam Ricketts was not having a good game. Hiwula had repeatedly caught him out in the first half, drawing the Wolves man too high and then beating him for pace.

Town had got away with it in the first half, but within five minutes of the restart they paid the price.

A long ball over the top caught Ricketts in two minds and he made the wrong call, choosing to try and bring the ball down instead of heading it back to the keeper.

Hiwula pounced and stole the ball off the defender, before going on to confidently tuck the ball home.

Town were going to need a bit luck to get back into the game and referee Williamson was feeling in a generous mood. Hylton, summoned to breathe some life into his teammates, jinked into the box and appeared to be bundled out of play by O’Donnell.

Then Williamson shocked everyone by pointing to the spot.

Gladwin, scorer of spot-kick at Spotland last week, stepped up and placed his effort low and to the keeper’s left, beating O’Donnell.

It was a soft decision, but eight minutes later Williamson was pointing to the same spot again. This time it was less questionable, Byrne being tugged down as he turned his man. Gladwin again stepped up and repeated the same trick, putting the ball in same corner and getting the same result.

Miraculously Swindon had pulled it back, but it did not last long. After failing to clear their lines they presented the Saddlers with a chance to retake the lead.

Sawyers, introduced moments earlier, did not waste it, wonderfully placing his first-time volley past Foderingham from a fierce whipped cross.

Neither side’s defence will have left the County Ground feeling too good about themselves and the Saddlers were the next to err.

Byrne won a free-kick out on the right and Gladwin delivered the swirling free-kick towards the back post. O’Donnell got lost in a forest of bodies allowing Turnbull to head into an unguarded net.

Town had 10 minutes to get a winner, but could not fashion an opportunity.

This was a typical performance from two teams with little to play for. Plenty of attacking moments but lackadaisical defending.