Well, that feels better doesn't it?

Coming into work on a Monday morning on the back of a Chester FC win.

It may not have been pretty but, given the situation the Blues find themselves in, that matters little.

So where else to start our look back at the winners and losers from the weekend National League action than the vital 1-0 victory over Solihull Moors ?

THREE UP

Massive Chester FC win

"It was a massive win. We spoke in the week that it was all about getting the result."

Those were the words of Blues assistant manager Ross Thorpe after Ross Hannah stepped off the bench to settle Saturday's basement battle.

Thorpe was not wrong. Had Marcus Bignot's boys gone down to defeat, they would be six points adrift of safety heading into a run of four league games in 10 days either side of Christmas.

Instead, the success means they can approach the crucial clashes with FC Halifax Town, Guiseley (twice) and Hartlepool United with some confidence restored.

Yes, it was far from the perfect performance, but the fact that Hannah is back in the groove - that's three goals in four games now for Chester's top scorer - and the fact that they kept only their fourth clean sheet of the campaign - with senior league debutant Jamie Jones an integral part of that - ensured there were plenty of positives to take.

Miracle worker Askey

When Macclesfield Town were losing players at a rate of knots in the summer - a fair few to the Blues - there were suggestions that they could be in for a season of struggle.

But then we forgot who their manager is.

John Askey has been one of the best bosses in the non-league top flight for some time now and, despite operating on one of the lower budgets in the division, his Silkmen side sit top after their 4-1 demolition of Wrexham, more of whom later.

Very much like the volunteers who descended on the Swansway Chester Stadium , Macc only got the top-of-the-table encounter on thanks to the help of their supporters.

And afterwards Askey said: "The football club is about everybody. Everyone who contributed on the day - it's a reward to them. For them to come out in the freezing cold at 6am pulling off sheets and clearing snow, I'm just pleased for them."

Lucky 13

If you'd have asked Chester fans before Saturday the one team they expected to be sucked into the relegation battle, then I'd wager a fair few would have said Halifax.

That's not surprising as the Shaymen were on a 12-match winless run in all competitions...

... until they went and won 1-0 at a high-flying Aldershot Town team that had enjoyed victories in four of their previous five unbeaten outings. That's the Conference for you this season.

Halifax boss Billy Heath, whose side remain eight points above the drop spots, said: "I am happy to hold my hands up and say we got a little lucky but when you consider the situation I think maybe we deserved that.

"We had an awful lot of players missing, I struggle to remember anything like it. We have hardly been able to train."

THREE DOWN

Woeful Wrexham

As good as Macclesfield were in Saturday's BT Sport-live showdown at snow-hit Moss Rose, Wrexham were as bad for major periods of it.

To put the defeat into context, it was the first time this season that the usually rock-solid Dragons had conceded more than two goals in a game.

But they have rode their luck at times this season - no more so than in their derby win last month - and Dean Keates offered his players no hiding place after they were well beaten by Macc.

Keates said: "It is not good enough, we were on top in the second half. They were by far the better team in the first half, we were lucky to go in only 1-0 down.

"But we had a reaction in the second half, a lot better and got us right back into the game. (It was) a good goal, Scotty (Boden) has deserved that over the last few weeks, but we kind of got carried away with the atmosphere. I think we had as many fans here as they did, but we lost our discipline a bit and we should have stayed in the game."

Pools pain

Another manager who was far from happy was Hartlepool's Craig Harrison.

With good reason, too, as his struggling side crashed to a 4-0 defeat at Dover Athletic.

Pools have now lost their last three and Harrison went as far as apologising to the 116 travelling supporters who made the 11-hour round trip.

He said: "They deserve better than this. We are at Workington next Saturday in the FA Trophy and then we are at home to Maidenhead.

"They 100% didn't deserve that today and from the staff and the players we are very thankful for the support they give us."

Tame Lions

That's now four straight league defeats for Guiseley after they were beaten 4-0 at Ebbsfleet United.

Maybe the Lions were distracted by their mini-run in the FA Cup, but on a weekend when Leyton Orient as well as Chester won, their plight is looking more desperate.

As well as their double-header with the Blues, Guiseley host Aldershot and head to Tranmere Rovers over the festive period following this weekend's FA Trophy trip to Gateshead.

And boss Paul Cox said: "This is something I am not happy about, we know we need points and to move up the table as soon as we can.

"Next week our focus will be on the FA Trophy as we look to progress in that but we know how important the league matches will be afterwards."