The Sharks came from 21 points down to secure a thrilling draw against the Lions with wing Lwazi Mvovo crossing for a late try to tie the scores.
The Lions, who have won only three matches all season, trailed 30-9 after 48 minutes but they launched a stirring fightback as Patrick Lambie, JP Pietersen and Mvovo all claimed tries, withfirst five-eighths Lambie adding all three conversions.
Two tries from flanker Cobus Grobbelaar and another from Jano Vermaak had helped put the Sharks in control, with former Bath first five-eighths Butch James kicking three penalties and three conversions. The result keeps John Plumtree's side in the wildcard play-off places ahead of next weekend's final round of regular-season games.
Lambie had put the Sharks ahead in the third minute, converting a 42 metre penalty after a high tackle by Wikus van Heerden, before the Lions hit back.
James edged the hosts ahead with two penalties of his own before Grobbelaar crossed for the game's first try.
The flanker burst through to crash over the line after some excellent line-out work, with James adding the extras.
Lambie kept his side in the game with two more penalties to trim the gap to 13-9, but Vermaak scored right on half-time to leave them with a mountain to climb. the scrum-half doing brilliantly to touch down in the corner after a break from Jaco Taute.
James kicked his third penalty shortly after the resumption and the game appeared over as a contest when Grobbelaar's second try arrived seven minutes into the second-half, but the Sharks did not allow their heads to drop and managed to pull themselves back into the match.
Lambie found a gap to go over for their first try on 54 minutes after a long period of pressure and they gained further momentum when James was sin-binned for a reckless high tackle.
The deficit was further reduced 14 minutes later when Pietersen finished off a fluid attack.
The hosts stood firm in the wake of a series of desperate late attacks but Mvovo latched onto Lambie's grubber before the Lions defence could react to score, the stand-off made no mistake with the conversion to earn the Sharks a share of the spoils.