Victory for Tranmere at Chester and a draw for Macclesfield Town at Ebbsfleet kept Rovers’ very slim title aspirations alive, while the wider race for play-off positions continued at pace.
Macclesfield remain in a fantastic position to take the title – in fact, anything other than the that outcome would be a disaster for John Askey’s team. They looked to be in cruise control at Ebbsfleet on Saturday with a 2-0 lead heading in to the final 20 minutes. Things then changed, as Danny Kedwell slotted home a penalty for the home side following a foul by Macc keeper Shwan Jalal in the box.
Moments later, former Tranmere loanee Nathan Blissett – who had again been on target – was harshly sent off for a coming together with a defender. This gave the impetus to the home side who ultimately drew level. They could have won it late on, but it ended 2-2.
Sutton United went in to the weekend best placed to tackle Macclesfield’s lead, though they had the unenviable task of a trip to Fylde. Most of the top half of the table seem to have been given a thrashing on the Fylde coast this season, but Sutton took the lead and looked like they may take advantage of Macclesfield’s slip-up. However, it wasn’t to be, as the home side fought back to win 2-1 and move in to the play-off spots themselves.
It meant that Macc opened up a TEN point lead at the top of the table.
Aldershot returned to the top three thanks to victory over Maidenhead. The Shots started the season in glittering form but have struggled over the last month – this 1-0 victory wasn’t too flashy, but was vital for Gary Waddock’s team.
Tranmere are fourth thanks to the win at Chester, a huge 12 points behind Macclesfield still. However, Rovers have two games in hand on the leaders, and that’s what gives us hope.
Boreham Wood slipped to fifth following a surprise 2-1 defeat at rapidly improving Halifax, but Wrexham missed the chance to overtake them as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Eastleigh. Wrexham have struggled to score goals all season and continue to do so – they needed a Scott Quigley penalty to take the lead at the Silverlake, but they let that slip deep in stoppage time to draw – again.
Fylde are seventh, as we mentioned earlier, with Dover hot on their coattails having scraped a 1-0 win at home to Torquay, with the visitors being reduced to nine men before Dover could make the breakthrough.
As it stands
Tuesday night fixtures
Boreham Wood vs Macclesfield
Chester vs Bromley
Ebbsfleet vs Wrexham
Halifax vs Sutton
Torquay vs Fylde
Tranmere vs Gateshead
