THE Tranmere game was significant for a number of reasons. First, it was a pleasant reminder of how far Wrexham have come under Denis Smith, especially since Christmas.
Granted, the Dragons only drew the match, but when Tuesday night's performance is compared with the display in the away match back in September, the contrast is there for all to see.
The 5-0 thrashing at Prenton Park signalled the end of the Flynn era, and five months on, there does appear to be a new spirit and a new belief in the side.
Second, it was simply an excellent spectacle: a local derby under lights at a stage in the season when promotion and relegation issues are coming clearly into focus. And on a bitterly cold night, when a brave but foolish streaker stole the show midway through the second half, there was an above-par gate and a high-octane atmosphere.
The end product was an open, end-to-end confrontation that had all the properties of a cup tie.
Third, I felt - not for the first time - that manager Smith got it spot on in the centre of the park. The Reds have relied on the Ferguson-Thomas-Phillips triumvirate for a number of games now and, all things considered, I sense that it's probably the best-balanced midfield formation available.
The simplicity of Fergie's play, the youthful drive of the no.19, and the penetrating forward running of the Welshman combined well. Phillips, in particular, had an outstanding first half.
He looked like a man inspired and a man desperate to earn a new Racecourse contract - which is, of course, exactly what he is.
Fourth, it says a lot about the present mood on the terraces that some fans are disappointed Smith's men only picked up a pair of points from the games against Brighton and Tranmere.
However, we would do well to put things into perspective. Not long ago, two consecutive draws against upwardly-mobile opposition would have been almost unthinkable.
So we have to be realistic. If the Reds can gain maximum points against Chesterfield today, and then get any kind of result against Port Vale, the points acquired against Albion and Rovers could gleam like gold dust.
Finally, and perhaps perversely, I cannot help thinking that it is an exciting time to be a Wrexham fan. Even though the spectre of third division football looms, there is something incredibly adrenaline-pumping about being slap, bang in the middle of a do-or-die relegation scrap.
After several years of mid-table mediocrity, the Dragons are living on the edge, but it is an entertaining experience nevertheless.
Every game is a "must win" event, the crowd is really playing its part, and all of a sudden I've become strangely interested in the fortunes of four other clubs that have never, ever interested me before: Cambridge, Notts County, Bournemouth and Northampton.
The fact that another struggling club, Bury, is on the verge of extinction just adds to the many and varied end-of-season permutations.
