21/04/2008 - Wrexham 1 Notts County 0
Prior to Notts County's trip over the border to Wrexham, manager Ian McParland stated that, if the Magpies came away safe, you would find no happier man in Nottingham.
With the club dear to his heart after making himself a household name during his playing days, he has given everything in this battle to steer Notts to safety.
After taking over, he acknowledged it was a tough task and no doubt he has endured many a sleepless night, going over different ways to make it better.
But going to north Wales on Saturday he knew three points, along with results elsewhere going their way, could see them safe with two games to play.
Finally, he could start planning ahead to next season and restoring the good times at Meadow Lane.
But in 90 minutes against League Two's bottom club, a team who Notts could condemn to relegation, that light at the end of the tunnel suddenly went dimmer. After his side spurned a glut of opportunities, a piece of naive defending from Lee Canoville gifted Wrexham a free-kick from which they won the game.
And instead of being the happiest man in Nottingham with a drink in his hand, looking forward to a good night's sleep for the first time in months, McParland probably boasted the mother of all frowns as he arrived back at his home.
Not only had his side lost but Mansfield had won to close the gap to two points, with Notts facing two tough encounters against Wycombe and Chesterfield.
But as he looks back, McParland will wonder why he is not celebrating.
Wrexham made six changes from the side that was thrashed 3-0 by Shrewsbury, giving youth a chance at the expense of experience.
And despite the threat of Wes Baynes when on the ball, Notts looked comfortable at the back.
Only Baynes' effort straight at Russell Hoult was of any note before Danny Crow wasted a golden opportunity when Neil MacKenzie played him in behind the Wrexham defence.
After beating the offside shout the striker went clear only to fire straight at Gavin Ward in the hosts' goal.
Notts continued to apply pressure, Ryan Jarvis causing trouble with a pinpoint ball into the six-yard box before MacKenzie pulled a shot wide from the resulting corner.
But a first-half ankle injury to Michael Johnson saw him unable to continue after the break and a reshuffle took place with Paul Mayo coming on and Stephen Hunt moving to centre half. Hoult was in for a relatively easy afternoon it appeared, saving a weak toe-poke from Matty Done before Lawrie Dudfield replaced Crow.
He almost made an instant impression as he out-muscled Mike Williams, got into the box and fired a fierce shot that Ward appeared to tip over the bar but, to Notts' annoyance, the referee gave a goal kick.
Hunt headed wide from a corner while Jarvis spurned a great chance from ten years when Ward only half cleared a Jason Lee header.
Wrexham were failing to punish Notts for their lack of ruthlessness, as Marc Williams' downward header was straight at Hoult. Hunt and Lee went close again from free kicks before Canoville was guilty of a poor tackle on the edge of his own box on Done, gifting a free-kick.
It was to be Notts County's undoing as the impressive Baynes swung it in from the left, Neil Roberts met it and hooked the ball into the net as Notts failed to clear.
A killer blow from nowhere but Lee steered a thumping header goalbound for what looked like the equaliser only for Ward to pull off a fantastic save in front of the Notts fans with his outstretched hand.
Hoult was then called into action and produced an even better stop at the other end when faced with Marc Williams but the striker's effort into the top corner was plucked out of the air by the Notts goalkeeper.
In the end, a defensive lapse killed off Notts but the chance for Crow will be one that goes continuously through the mind of the Magpies manager as he revisits what happened on Saturday.
Afterwards he questioned the steel within his side, the killer instinct to finish teams off. After all, those inside the Racecourse Ground could see that had Notts found a breakthrough, it would almost certainly have been game over.
The Magpies would now be all but assured of League Two football next season. The talk of relegation would no longer be of real concern.
Instead there are another few days of fans, players and management looking at all the permutations, wondering what will happen next.
What if? That is not a question that anyone connected with Notts can let play on the mind. This is no time for looking back, only forward.
This is no time for anyone to hide. They need to show that steel, show that character, show that they deserve to be in League Two next season.
Saturday was a golden opportunity missed. There was never a better chance of ending the threat of relegation. There was no better chance to make McParland the happiest man in Nottingham.
Now they have to do it the hard way. The next task is seventh-placed Wycombe at home. The challenge is there, now the players have to rise to it.
They cannot prolong the agony for themselves, their manager or the fans. This Saturday is another chance, albeit a much more difficult one.
If they deliver, everyone connected with the black and white side of the Trent can forget what happened at Wrexham and finally put their feet up enjoy a drink and look to the good times ahead.
If they don't, the unthinkable could yet still be on the cards.