Craig Priest’s Mansfield Town blog: Wrexham is our biggest game for years

Once again the weekend’s action just gone has been brilliant for Stags, Friday’s win at Forest Green leapfrogged us to top of the table and then on Saturday, Wrexham failed to beat Luton and keep up the chase – putting us two points clear at the top.

Tuesday night,for me, is the biggest game in years as we take on Wrexham. If we win, then we’ll be five points clear of the FA Trophy finalists with them to play on the season’s final day plus a game in hand.

If we lose then Wrexham go back top and all of a sudden we need to chase again – a draw may well keep things as they are now but it doesn’t really help, when you’re at the top you need to breathe, hence why, in my opinion anyway, we HAVE to beat Wrexham.

I’m a firm believer in destiny, but as I’ve learned throughout life it’s a funny thing. Destiny can lead you to where you want to be by creating certain outcomes or situations however it’s down to you what happens next. Hard work and graft leads you onto better things whilst sitting around waiting for something to happen just gets you nowhere.

What if all our recent failures or outcomes have led us to this moment, to this chase? What if Stockport would have scored and given us hope of staying in League Two – would ‘he who shall not be named’ ever have left? What if the fax machine had worked, would the points we we’re docked have made any difference? What If Louis Briscoe had missed the rebound at Luton, would we have made Wembley. What if Chris Senior and Matty Blair had missed theIR respective strikes on May 7th for Darlington and York? Would we have claimed a trophy and gone onto gain promotion.

What I realise is it doesn’t matter, we’ve been dealt these blows, given these experiences as a lesson – the lesson is when things are going your way, make sure you work that little bit harder to cross the line and achieve the dream.

Whatever happens – keep the support going and KEEP ON RUNNING – We’ll get there in the end.