Valencia's recent slump continued with a disappointing draw against Recreativo Huelva at the Mestalla.
Javier Camunas put the visitors ahead shortly after half-time and Los Che seemed destined to suffer another embarrassing defeat when Carlos Marchena was dismissed after picking up his second yellow card midway through the second period.
However, substitute Pablo Hernandez spared their blushes with a wonderful solo effort late on as both sides created good chances to clinch the points in a breathless finish.
With Valencia's 90th anniversary celebrations taking place beforehand and a carnival atmosphere gripping the city ahead of this week's Fallas festival, the setting was ideal for Unai Emery's men to return to winning ways following a sequence of seven matches without success.
But they created little of note in a dour first half and it was Recreativo who came closest to breaking the deadlock on 17 minutes.
A quick breakaway saw Marchena flatten Camunas on the half-way line, but Adrian Colunga picked up possession and carried the ball to the edge of the box before curling a fine effort beyond Cesar Sanchez that came back off the outside of the far post.
Referee Carlos Carballo caught up with Marchena to book him for his crude attempt to end the move prematurely and it was to prove costly later on.
The second half began with Recreativo taking the game to their hosts and forcing five corners in quick succession and they eventually made the breakthrough on 55 minutes with a little help from some woeful Valencia defending.
Camunas played a one-two with Colunga and somehow managed to beat the keeper and two defenders to the return ball, squeezing a shot towards goal that trickled over the line beyond the despairing attempted clearance of Raul Albiol.
After the goal, Valencia stepped up their efforts at the other end and created several good chances to force an equalizer.
Vicente had a shot deflected out for a corner, Juan Mata hit the bar with a chipped effort then headed over when well placed moments later, while David Silva got into the box twice but could only shoot straight at Asier Riesgo before over-hitting a cross beyond Hernandez at the back post.
Then came Marchena's second yellow card for bringing down Colunga on 72 minutes.
The Recre forward appeared to be going nowhere when he tried to skip between two defenders just over the half-way line but Marchena stuck out a leg and his involvement ended with Colunga's tumble.
Suddenly Recre look comfortable and it seemed as though there would be no way back for Valencia, but then the equalizer came on 83 minutes with a moment of real quality from Hernandez.
The midfielder picked up possession outside the Recre box and darted beyond two men before releasing a delightful reverse chip over Riesgo into the far corner from 15 yards.
Fernando Morientes should have put Valencia in front with a header from Mata's pinpoint cross moments later, but the hosts should be glad for their point after Colunga wasted two golden chances for the visitors in injury time.
