Wrexham had gone into preceding gameweeks knowing that victories in their two outstanding games in the National League guaranteed them supplanting table-topping Notts County, but they never imagined being handed a boost over the weekend.
The side occupying first place were beaten 2-1 by 10th-placed Dagenham & Redbridge at Meadow Lane, inflicting their first league reverse since losing 3-1 at Dorking Wanderers in September.
The upshot of that result meant Phil Parkinson’s team closed the gap at the top to two points, with maximum points on Saturday extending their unbeaten run in the competition.
Wrexham may have been eliminated in the FA Trophy and FA Cup by Altrincham and Sheffield United, respectively, representing two defeats since the turn of the year, but the Robins have been near perfect in the league.
Promotion remains the main goal for Parkinson’s troops, and a four-month unbeaten run in the competition keeps them on track in their gripping tussle for automatic promotion to League Two.
Only four of 21 games since losing at Notts County in October have ended in draws, with that run since the defeat against their challengers including an eight-game winning run before a 2-2 draw with Woking at the Racecourse Ground on February 14.
That tie with the side from Surrey was nothing but a bump in the road, with the Robins since claiming three wins on the bounce.
If the second-placed side makes that a fourth on Tuesday, they will replace the Magpies at the top of the table, having played a game less and with their second meeting to come in Wales in April.
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Standing in the way are Chesterfield, whom Notts County will hope can produce a performance at the Racecourse Ground to get their campaign back on track.
Cook’s team are still in the hunt for promotion, sitting fifth in the standings, but a collapse since the turn of the year threatens to derail their season.
Having lost only four times in their opening 22 league games this term, the Spireites have been beaten five times in the subsequent 10 matches, one more than they suffered before the New Year.
2023 has been far from kind for the East Midlands outfit, whose atrocious run of results have come since the end of January.
