Waterford missed out on a chance to move level with Cork City in second place as they were held to a draw by Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds.
Gavan Holohan and Courtney Duffus – his seventh of the season – scored in either half after the Seagulls had taken a surprise lead when Dan McKenna buried a header in just the third minute.
But a slip from ex-Seagull Dave Webster in injury time allowed Daniel Kelly in on goal and he was taken out by Blues keeper Lawrence Vigourous, allowing Gary McCabe to level from the spot.
Bray manager Graham Kelly made two changes to his backline from Friday's 3-1 defeat here to Bohemians, with McKenna one of those to make way.
An injury to Rhys Gorman in the warm-up led to a reprieve, with the Wolves loanee sent into an unfamiliar midfield berth, and he repaid Kelly's faith immediately.
Gary McCabe laid the ball back for Dylan Hayes, who crossed first time and McKenna jumped above full-back Sander Puri to angle a header past Vigouroux.
If the start stunned Waterford somewhat, they at least regained their senses enough to put their foot on the ball and use their extra man in midfield to force Bray to sit back.
They did find a gap in the Bray defence, finally, as Duffus slipped in Ismahil Akinade but home keeper Evan Moran was out quickly to take the ball – and a blow to the ribs for his trouble.
Akinade went rather closer minutes later as he rose highest to get his head on Paul Keegan's floated free kick. The away fans thought he'd scored when the net rippled, but it was the wrong side.
Bray themselves went close as Cory Galvin teed up Kevin Lynch to deliver a low ball into the six-yard box, but Kelly just couldn't get the touch to turn it home.
A quick free from McKenna after he'd been fouled in the corner allowed Galvin to swing in a ball that was dipping under the crossbar, forcing Vigouroux to touch it over.
And it took a super saving tackle from Dave Webster – returning to the team following a two-game suspension – to halt Kelly when he seemed to have been sent clean through.
Bastien Héry and Akinade had half-chances but it seemed against the run of play when Holohan rose to plant a fine header in the corner from Keegan's corner two minutes from the break.
Bray had done a good job keeping the Waterford front two quiet but after Akinade managed to force a mismatch with Hayes, his header inside found Duffus.
The former Ireland under-21 had had few chances to run square at the Bray centre-halves and he took full advantage, rifling a low shot into the corner as Waterford led with 20 minutes remaining.
That looked to have sealed it for Waterford, but as the clock ticked past 90 Webster's mistake allowed his former team to take a share of the spoils.
Bray Wanderers: Evan Moran; Dylan Hayes, Conor Kenna, Sean Heaney, Kevin Lynch; Paul O'Conor, Dan McKenna, Gary McCabe; Daniel Kelly, Cory Galvin, Ronan Coughlan.
Waterford: Lawrence Vigouroux; Sander Puri, Rory Feely, Dave Webster, Dylan Barnett; Paul Keegan, Bastien Héry, Stanley Aborah, Gavan Holohan; Courtney Duffus (Dean O'Halloran 86), Imahil Akinade.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).
