The final decisive twist in this most enthralling of promotion races? Or merely the prelude to yet more drama in the final fortnight of the season?
Only time will tell on that score, but there can be little doubt that it’s advantage Wycombe Wanderers in the race to clinch the runners-up spot behind already promoted Birmingham City after Mike Dodds’ side were given a helping hand from the most unlikely of sources.
In 10 years as a professional and more than 275 senior appearances, Taylor Moore had found the net just twice. But, by heading in Matt Butcher’s first-half corner to net his first goal since New Year’s Day, 2019, the Bristol Rovers defender knocked Wrexham off course in their quest to reach the Championship.
Matty James rescued a point for Phil Parkinson’s men, who nevertheless surrendered second spot courtesy of Wycombe’s 2-0 victory at Bolton Wanderers. One point separates Wrexham and Wycombe, and Wycombe’s goal difference is superior by five.
Adding to a fascinating promotion mix are Charlton Athletic who, despite being five points adrift with just nine still up for grabs, still retain their own hopes given they are still to play both Wycombe and Wrexham.
“We’re still in a great position,” insisted Parkinson. “There are three games to go and, hopefully, some more twists along the way. You can’t discount anyone. Charlton face Wycombe (on Monday) and they can’t both win.
“It can all change again, 100 per cent. Its not over yet. We are in contention and in with a great chance.”
Before kick-off, all had seemed well in Wrexham’s world. Incessant rain may have been falling across north Wales but Eric Allyn, the head of the New York family who took a minority shareholding in the club last autumn, joining local band Declan Swans on stage for a three-song set that featured It’s Always Sunny in Wrexham summed up the optimistic mood.
Adding to the feel-good factor was co-owner Rob McElhenney being at the SToK Cae Ras for the first time since the opening day win against Wycombe in August.
Throw in relegation-threatened Bristol Rovers arriving with a truly wretched away record — they had taken just a solitary point on the road from the top 17 clubs in the table, a goalless draw at Rotherham United in August — and the stage really did seem set for a party.
Instead, Moore put the visitors ahead and Wrexham quickly lost their way.
Parkinson’s side saw plenty of the ball — 65 per cent possession across the 90 minutes — but far too much of their play was in front of a disciplined Rovers side. With the visitors’ head coach Inigo Calderon matching up the hosts’ back three by deploying Ruel Sotiriou and Gatlin O’Donkor either side of Kofi Shaw in an attacking front trio, Wrexham spent far too much time moving the ball from side to side before then trying to force things with a rash pass that invariably failed to find it’s target.
Cooler heads were needed, as the vastly experienced James admitted after his second goal in Wrexham colours rescued a point.
“There are twists and turns to come,” said the 33-year-old. “Things might turn again on Monday, but there will still be two games to play after that. I’ve been involved in promotions before where it went to the last kick of the game, away at Nottingham Forest for Leicester (when Anthony Knockaert’s stoppage-time winner sealed a place in the 2013 Championship play-offs).
“People were talking (this week) about doing things at certain times and asking, ‘Can it (promotion) be done by this time?’. But football is a tough game and things don’t always go your way. We’re still in a great position and we have to embrace this challenge.”
Friday was the 18th time possession of second place had changed hands, six sides having had a stint up there including Stockport County, Huddersfield Town and Charlton in the early weeks.
It was also the third time Wycombe had deposed Wrexham in that second automatic promotion slot, in the process nudging them ahead of the Welsh club in terms of days spent there at 91 to 90.
Days Spent in 2ndStints in 2nd
What price a 19th and maybe 20th time before the season finishes on May 3? Certainly, the run-in remains fascinating.
On paper, Wycombe’s looks the tougher with home games against Charlton and Stockport, plus a visit to play-offs hopefuls Leyton Orient. Equally, though, Charlton having those six-pointers at Adams Park and then The Racecourse means Nathan Jones’ side cannot be discounted.
Wrexham, for their part, face a Blackpool side on Monday who badly need three points to bolster their hopes of gatecrashing the play-offs. The campaign then ends with a trip to Lincoln City, who have little but pride for which to play.
Will this bring freedom to Lincoln’s play? Or will it produce a performance that suggests their players are already on the beach?
Also needing to be factored in are the staggered kick-offs on the penultimate Saturday. Sky Sports has chosen Orient versus Wycombe for the lunchtime slot and Wrexham against Charlton for 5.30pm.
This opens up the possibility of Wycombe either clinching automatic promotion before their two rivals play, or the door being prised open for either Wrexham or Charlton to nip through and set up a nerve-wracking final day.
Charlton Athetic (H) 5.30
It really does feel too close to call, a sense backed up by Opta’s supercomputer. All season long, it has been running 10,000 simulations of how the season ends to come up with a predicted table.
A fortnight ago, Opta had Wrexham to finish two points clear of Wycombe in second place, but that lead had been halved by the end of last weekend. The computer’s latest forecast now has Wycombe down to finish second with an average of 88.75 points across those simulations to Wrexham’s 87.13 points.
Parkinson, for his part, wants his players to focus solely on themselves.
“Whether we succeed or not I want us to play better over the 90 minutes than we did today,” he added. “If that gets us over the line, great. If it doesn’t, then we’ve had a real go.”
(Top photo: Cody Froggatt/PA Images via Getty Images)
