John Askey was once again left fuming at refereeing decisions after his Port Vale side lost a thrilling game 4-3 at home to Tranmere.

A scintillating finish saw 10-man Vale lead 3-2 with the 90 minutes played, but stoppage-time goals from Kaiyne Woolery and Kieron Morris gave Rovers an unlikely victory at the death.

And, despite his team playing their part in a fine high-tempo game, there was little consoling Askey, particularly at Carl Brook’s penalty decision that allowed James Vaughan to make it 2-2.

“We had it at Cambridge and at Morecambe and I don’t think he’s seen it for their penalty,” said the distraught boss. “We’ll get another letter saying he’s got it wrong and apologising but that’s no good, these decisions just kill you.

“The referees are just making the wrong decision and we get a letter a few days later saying they’ve made the wrong decision. Their player (Corey Blackett-Taylor) should have been booked for kicking Leon Legge, but the referee hasn’t seen it, he’s just given a penalty.

“It’s disappointing at the end that we couldn’t see it through too. It was a fantastic shot right at the end to win it, we were tiring but we should have done better.

“We’ll take heart from the effort the players showed, they could have collapsed after getting it to 2-2, but we got back in front. We just didn’t get what I think we deserved. We’ve got to take our anger from it and go again now.”

Tom Conlon had put Vale ahead on 15 minutes, coolly despatching a penalty after he had been felled by Tranmere’s Jay Spearing.

The hosts doubled their lead when David Amoo found the roof of the net after Conlon’s clever flick from David Worrall’s short corner.

But a straight red card for Vale midfielder Luke Joyce turned the game and Vaughan’s two goals drew Tranmere level with 20 minutes to go.

Devante Rodney headed Vale back in front but the two stoppage-time goals snatched an unlikely victory for Tranmere.

And interim Rovers boss Ian Dawes says he never lost his cool when all around him seemed to be losing theirs.

“Do you know what, I was always calm on the sideline,” he said. “I thought we played really well, we were the team who dominated possession and I thought we were always going to score.

“I’ve watched their penalty back and it isn’t a penalty, their second was a good goal from a clever set play, but we got on with it and even at 2-0 I thought we were the better team, we just had to stay positive.

“Even if they’d kept 11 men on the pitch I always felt it was a matter of time before we broke them down.

“We knew that the first goal of the second half would be important, we told the boys that, and credit to them, they were outstanding.

“It was disappointing to concede that third goal, but even at that point I felt we were going to get back into it, I really believed that.”