Wrexham are back in League One action this weekend as Phil Parkinson takes his side to face Wigan Athletic away from home.
The final five games of the League One season are here, and Wrexham must make one final push towards the Championship.
Wycombe Wanderers beat Huddersfield Town in midweek, cutting Wrexham’s lead in second place to three points.
That is Wrexham’s game in hand out of the way, though, and the battle for automatic promotion comes down to a five-game shootout.
Wrexham have that three-point lead but must keep winning to fend off Wycombe and keep the Chairboys at arm’s length.
Wrexham’s five-game run starts with a trip to Wigan Athletic, with Phil Parkinson looking for a big win over the struggling Latics.
Ryan Lowe on Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson
Wigan parted ways with boss Shaun Maloney in March.
The Scot was replaced by Ryan Lowe, who left Preston North End after just one game earlier this season.
Lowe has yet to find a first win in five games since taking the job, picking up three draws and two defeats so far.
Wigan drew with Exeter City on Tuesday night and certainly aren’t safe from the League One drop zone.
Wigan sit seven points clear of the drop and still have a game in hand, but unless they can pick up some wins, they could find themselves in trouble.
Speaking to Wigan Today ahead of this weekend’s game, new Latics boss Lowe paid tribute to opposite number Parkinson.
Lowe praised Parkinson as a ‘fantastic’ manager who has seen it all and done it all in the game.
Lowe also believes that Wrexham have ‘real quality’ and know how to get results, but believes that his side can pick up points at the Brick Community Stadium.
“We’ve got to look after ourselves first and foremost and respect Wrexham for what they are,” said Lowe.
“I think Phil Parkinson has done a fantastic job going through the divisions. He is a fantastic manager, he’s been there, seen it and done it. They’ve got some real quality and experience in the team who know how to get over the line.
“We’ll pay Wrexham the respect they deserve of course but we’re on our own turf, it’s a game where we want to go and impress.
“Our last couple of games have been away and we’ve had to shore it up and be hard to beat, we know we are going to have to do that also, but we certainly want a bit of attacking impetus as well, so it’s going to be a difficult game for both teams for different reasons, so we’ve got to go out there with a smile on our face and play the way we like to play, and hopefully come away with some points,” he added.
Former Wrexham coach helping Ryan Lowe at Wigan
Lowe has yet to make major changes at Wigan, including with his coaching staff.
Mike Marsh, Lowe’s former assistant at Preston North End, is now working with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Besiktas.
Lowe may well wait until summer to make real changes, which means former Wrexham coach Graham Barrow is still helping him.
The 70-year-old worked as Wrexham’s assistant manager under Sam Rickets, but stepped up to interim boss when Ricketts quit Wrexham for Shrewsbury.
Barrow later reunited with Ricketts at Shrewsbury but is now working at Wigan, previously assisting Shaun Maloney and then helping Glenn Whelan and Frankie Bunn following Maloney’s exit.
Barrow will still be around for Lowe to lean on this weekend, and they will hope to combine to take Wrexham down.