Wrexham: 3
Notts County: 2
By Jon Couch – at The Racecourse
Ben Foster saved a 95th-minute penalty to hand Wrexham victory in a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash with Notts County at the Racecourse.
The former Manchester United and England keeper, who came out of retirement to help steer the Dragons’ title charge, brilliantly denied Magpies substitute Cedwyn Scott after Eoghan O’Connell had been adjudged to have handled by referee Scott Tallis.
It brought an end to a pulsating affair which saw County take a deserved lead through John Bostock’s unstoppable free-kick into the top corner in first-half stoppage time.
Wrexham upped the ante after the break and were level inside three minutes of the restart when Ryan Barnett centred low towards the penalty spot where Mullin had slipped the attentions of Geraldo Bajrami, illegally according to Notts County, and slotted a fine first-time effort past Sam Slocombe.
O’Connell rattled the crossbar with a tremendous volley from Barnett’s cross before Wrexham went in front on 70 minutes, Jacob Mendy turning in Mullin’s cross.
Just when Wrexham thought they had turned the tide, back came Notts County. Foster brilliantly tipped Sam Austin’s effort over the bar but Kyle Cameron stooped low, unmarked at the far post, to head home the resulting corner.
But parity was to last only a matter of three minutes when Barnett’s low centre caught under the feet of Bajrami and Elliot Lee stepped up to fire home from 10 yards out.
County staged a late rally in a bid for maintain their league top spot and thought they had grabbed a lifeline before Foster’s dramatic intervention.