Birchall goal grabs point for Bees at Valley Parade
Last updated : 09 April 2008 By Jaybee
Barnet gained their second away point in three days with a solid 1-1 draw at Bradford City which leaves them 15th in the table with 51 points. Adam Birchall's goal on 23 minutes put the Bees ahead and for a long time it looked as though it may give Barnet all three points until Eddie Johnson equalised for the Bantams with 15 minutes left.
The night was more notable though for the matches affecting the bottom of the table. Shrewsbury Town, still without a win under Paul Simpson and only one win all year, gained a valuable point at Morecambe. Carl Baker put the home side ahead on 32 minutes but Marc Pugh grabbed the equaliser for the Shrews with 20 minutes left. The point lifts Shrewsbury up to 18th, 7 points above Mansfield but having played a game more. With the bottom clubs finding it hard to win matches, Shrewsbury should be safe.
Notts County's 4-2 defeat at Rochdale leaves them only 3 points above Mansfield and having played a game more. Moreover, should the Stags gain an unlikely win at Stockport tonight then they will go above County and climb out of the bottom two for the first time in months. After a goalless first half, on loan striker, Rene Howe put Rochdale ahead after 58 minutes and winger, Adam Rundle made it 2-0 on 70 minutes. Jason Lee pulled a goal back for County two minutes later, but an Adam Le Fondre and a Michael Johnson own goal made the score 4-1 before Neil Mackenzie got a late consolation goal from the penalty spot to make it 4-2. That's just one point from the last four matches for County. If they don't improve on that they then the league's oldest club could well be playing in the Blue Square Premier next season.
Wrexham, meanwhile, look to have one foot already firmly in there already after last night's 4-1 defeat at MK Dons. Goals from Danny Swailes and Aaron Wilbraham put the Dons 2-0 up within 10 minutes. A Neil Roberts penalty after 59 minutes gave the Dragons some home but this was snuffed out by a Sean O'Hanlon goal after 75 minutes and a second for Wilbraham in the last minute. The defeat leaves Wrexham still 7 points from safety though they do have a game in hand on Mansfield and Notts County but the Dragons have just 5 matches left and must win at least three of those if they are to stand any chance at all. As it is though, Wrexham have only taken 2 points from their last 6 matches and it looks like it will take a miracle to preserve their league status. On Sunday they are away at Shrewsbury and on the following Saturday they are at home to Notts County in what could be a crucial match for both sides.
Macclesfield P42 PTS 45
21/3 (a) Stockport 0-2
24/3 (h) Barnet 3-0
29/3 (h) Accrington 3-1
05/4 (a) Wrexham 1-1
12/4 (h) Mansfield
19/4 (a) Bury
26/4 (h) Chesterfield
03/5 (a) Chester
Shrewsbury P42 PTS 45
22/3 (a) Dag & Red 1-1
24/3 (h) Notts County 0-0
29/3 (h) Bury 0-1
05/4 (a) Chesterfield 1-4
08/4 (a) Morecambe 1-1
13/4 (h) Wrexham
19/4 (a) Mansfield
26/4 (h) Chester
03/5 (a) Rochdale
Chester P41 PTS 44
22/3 (h) Darlington 2-1
24/3 (a) Peterborough 0-1
29/3 (h) Stockport A-A
05/4 (a) Hereford 2-2
12/4 (h) Lincoln
19/4 (a) Wycombe
26/4 (a) Shrewsbury
03/5 (h) Macclesfield
Dag & Red P42 PTS 42
22/3 (h) Shrewsbury 1-1
24/3 (a) Wrexham 0-0
29/3 (h) Chesterfield 0-3
04/4 (a) Accrington 0-1
12/4 (h) Rochdale
19/4 (a) Rotherham
26/4 (a) Darlington
03/5 (h) Mansfield
Notts County P42 PTS 41
22/3 (h) Rochdale 1-0
24/3 (a) Shrewsbury 0-0
29/3 (h) Mansfield 0-0
05/4 (a) Bury 1-2
08/4 (a) Rochdale 2-4
12/4 (h) Accrington
19/4 (a) Wrexham
26/4 (h) Wycombe
03/5 (a) Chesterfield
Mansfield P41 PTS 38
22/3 (h) Grimsby 1-2
24/3 (a) Bury 0-2
29/3 (a) Notts County 0-0
01/4 (h) Wrexham 2-1
05/4 (h) Barnet 2-2
09/4 (a) Stockport
12/4 (a) Macclesfield
19/4 (h) Shrewsbury
26/4 (h) Rotherham
03/5 (a) Dag & Red
Wrexham P41 PTS 34
22/3 (a) Brentford 0-2
24/3 (h) Dag & Red 0-0
29/3 (a) Barnet 2-3
01/4 (a) Mansfield 1-2
05/4 (h) Macclesfield 1-1
08/4 (a) MK Dons 1-4
13/4 (a) Shrewsbury
19/4 (h) Notts County
22/4 (a) Hereford
26/4 (h) Accrington
03/5 (a) Lincoln
