Saturday`s Vanarama National League Review....

....inability to beat play-off chasing Wrexham at The New Lawn on Saturday.

After Cheltenham's win over Grimsby Town on Friday night, this became a must-win game for Rovers to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive.
But they drew a blank against the nine-man Dragons.

Rovers spent the last 15 minutes playing against nine players after the visitors had Blaine Hudson and skipper Connor Jennings sent-off in the space of 4 minutes.

But they hung on bravely to take a crucial point back to North Wales.

Forest Green now trail league leaders Cheltenham by four points and their Gloucestershire rivals know that eight points from the last four games will be enough to clinch an immediate return to the Football League.

Dover Athletic moved three points clear of sixth-place and into fourth spot after increasing FC Halifax Town`s relegation fears with a 1-0 Crabble success.

However, the FA Trophy finalists will feel a little hard done by after another long trip south proved point-less.

The Shaymen fell behind to Nicky Deverdics’ early 8th minute goal following a corner.

But Halifax got better as the game went on, and after a disappointing first-half, could have taken a share of the spoils, with Jordan Burrow heading against the bar.

Jim Harvey`s men now face a `six-pointer` against fellow strugglers Boreham Wood on Tuesday.

And they`ll face a Wood side buoyed from a last-gasp point at a Chester FC outfit still not clear of the drop zone themselves.

Kick-off was delayed until 3.45pm due to the visitors being held up on the M6.

And Wood fell behind after 11 minutes to a goal from john Rooney.

But they were quickly back on level terms 5 minutes later, thanks to a Scott Doe header.

The sides turned round all-square at 1-1 and then on 65 minutes the hosts` restored their advantage with Rooney`s second of the game from a free-kick 20 yards from goal.

Connor Clifford and Jamie Lucas came close to equalising, but it looked as though Chester were going to hold on for three vital points, until the very last minute of normal time when Harry White pulled Wood level with a right-footed effort from 20 yards.

Welling United`s slim hopes of avoiding the drop were given a massive lift when they earned a surprise 2-1 win at Prenton Park against play-off chasing Tranmere Rovers.

Tranmere took the lead on 18 minutes when Gary Taylor-Fletcher played a neat pass to Lee Vaughan who volleyed home past Marek Rodak.

Welling got themselves back in the game just 2 minutes later as a free-kick wasn't cleared properly and Ian Gayle`s poke towards goal hit Vaughan and trickled into Scott Davies' goal.

Welling then shocked their hosts by taking a 72nd minute lead as they broke through the Rovers` defence and the ball was set up for Kadell Daniel to knock the ball home.

With a minute remaining, James Norwood hit the post following a corner but Rovers couldn't find their way back into the game.

The win leaves the Wings still six points adrift of the safety mark with only four games left.

Tranmere remain in fifth place, however, as sixth-placed Braintree Town were beaten 3-1 at the Moss Rose by Macclesfield Town.

The Silkmen made it three successive wins, taking a 25th minute lead with a penalty from Danny Whitaker after Reece Styche had been fouled in the box by Sam Habergham.

Two minutes into the second period and the Silkmen doubled their advantage with a fine left-footed curler from Danny Rowe.

And they virtually made sure of the points on 65 minutes with a first goal for the club for John McCombe with a header from Whitaker`s cross.

The Iron did manage a consolation goal through Simeon Akinola after a good run and finish past Shwan Jalal in the 76th minute.

Eastleigh`s top five hopes also stalled at the Silverlake Stadium against another side looking to move away from the bottom end of the table, Guiseley AFC.

The Spitfires remain seventh, two points behind the play-off places, after sharing a 1-1 draw with a Lions` outfit who are three points above the bottom four.

The game couldn`t have started much worse for the visitors though as they fell behind inside the opening 2 minutes to an Adam Lockwood own goal.

But they gradually got themselves back into the game and saw efforts from Ben Parker and Danny Lowe saved by Spitfires` keeper Ross Flitney.

And 10 minutes into the second half Guiseley pulled back on level terms when, following a foul by Jai Reason on Oliver Norburn, James Hurst` free-kick beat Flitney from the edge of the box.

Reason went close for the hosts late on, but Guiseley held on for an important point.

Gateshead`s top five hopes took a massive hit as they were beaten 2-1 at the International Stadium by another of the relegation battlers, Torquay United.

It started well enough for a Tyneside outfit who began the game six points behind the play-off places, as they went in front after 20 minutes when Jon Shaw netted from an angle following a neat headed pass from Danny Johnson.

Johnson and Rob Ramshaw both had efforts saved by Gulls` keeper Brendan Moore and Shaw hit the woodwork twice just before the break.

But Torquay rode their luck and substitute Iffy Allen equalised 4 minutes into the second half with a left-footed effort.

And a minute after coming off the bench, Andre Wright put the visitors in front on 71 minutes with another left-footed drive after good work by Allen.

And with results elsewhere going in their favour, the Gulls rose to twentieth in the table, leapfrogging FC Halifax Town and Altrincham, who drew 1-1 at bottom-markers Kidderminster Harriers.

Harriers fell behind to Damian Reeves' 9th minute strike.

But the spirited bottom-markers plugged away and Ben Whitfield bagged the equaliser a minute from time when he curled home a fine effort.

The draw means Harriers remain twelve points from safety, with five matches left, with Alty are a point behind the safety mark.

Southport are eight points clear of the bottom four but had to make do with just a point from a 2-2 home draw with Woking.

However, after coming back from 2-0 down, it will seem almost like a win for interim boss Andy Bishop.

It was slightly against the run of play that Woking took the lead after 37 minutes, Matt Robinson teeing up Matt Butcher, who drilled home from the edge of the box.

Woking doubled their lead 2 minutes into the second period, Butcher turning his marker from a throw-in before firing through Jonathan Viscosi's legs.

The Port comeback began on 76 minutes when a mix-up between Woking keeper Jake Cole and Joe Robinson saw Jonny Margetts fire into an empty net.

Eight minutes later the hosts were back on level terms when Woking failed to clear and sub Craig Westcarr was on hand to fire home.

Lincoln City's disappointing end to the season continued as they were beaten 2-0 at Bromley.

Ironically, Bromley`s most dangerous player proved to be Bradley Goldberg, who was brought into the starting line-up late after Louis Dennis suffered an injury in the warm-up.

It was through him that the hosts broke the deadlock on 33 minutes. He raced down the right-hand flank and whipped the ball in tight to goal and Adam Cunnington was on hand to score from six yards.

Lincoln were made to pay for again not making the most of their possession as they were caught on the counter attack and conceded a second goal on 75 minutes when Moses Emmanuel and Cunnington combined to set-up Goldberg to score.

Barrow AFC made the long journey south to the EBB Stadium well worthwhile with a 1-0 win against fellow mid-table outfit Aldershot Town.

Andy Cook scored the only goal of the game with a header in the 65th minute, helping the Bluebirds to stretched their unbeaten run to eight games.