Wrexham pulled off a second-half comeback to triumph over Notts County in a blockbuster National League top-table six-pointer on Easter Monday.
Despite lagging 1-0 behind at half-time, Phil Parkinson’s side came out 3-2 victors in a spectacular affair at the Racecourse Ground to move three points clear at the summit.
Following an underwhelming 3-1 loss at Halifax last time out, the pressure was on Wrexham to return to winning ways against fierce promotion rivals as the two sides entered this round level on 100 points apiece.
However, the Red Dragons found themselves 1-0 down at the break after former Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder John Bostock slotted home a sublime free-kick in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage-time to put the visitors ahead.
Unfazed by a late first-half shock, the hosts flew out of the traps, with the division’s second-highest scorer Paul Mullin netting only three minutes into the second half to restore parity.
Jacob Mendy completed the turnaround in the 70th minute, sending Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney into dreamland, but it wasn’t over by any stretch of the imagination.
County captain Kyle Cameron headed home an equaliser at the far post only five minutes later, leaving this breathtaking game open for the taking down the final stretch.
Cameron’s heroics were in vain as Wrexham prevailed through Elliot Lee, who gave the home side another lead in the 78th minute after being set up on a silver platter by Mullin.
Little did the hosts know the end-to-end encounter at the Racecourse Ground had one last massive twist waiting in the wings.
The visitors were awarded a penalty for a handball deep into injury time, but 39-year-old Ben Foster sent the crowd into raptures by pulling off a stop from 12 yards.
With a game in hand and a three-point lead, Wrexham will be looking to keep their promotion bid on track when they take on Barnet on the road in the next round.
As for County, the upcoming home clash against third-placed Woking will test their character, with hopes of regaining their place in League Two for the first time since the fateful 2018/19 season now hanging by a thread.
