03/03/2008 - Wrexham 1 Mansfield Town 1
Everybody was standing as the Welsh national anthem was belted out around the Racecourse Ground.
The daffodils proudly pinned to the chests of many, the flags of Wales boasting the red dragon were waved around with tremendous pride.
This was March 1, St David's Day, the date declared a national day of celebration. But on Saturday there was even more reason for the Wrexham fans to stand together as their side went head-to-head with Mansfield in their bottom-of-the-table clash.
They had to stand united as defeat would leave them seven points behind Mansfield, well adrift and almost certainly doomed. Victory would blow the fight for survival wide open. But while the fans plotted a day of real celebration, the perfect ending to their St David's Day, they might have overlooked the part to be played by Mansfield.
It might not have been a national day of pride for those travelling from north Nottinghamshire, but it was an afternoon that could be of great significance come May 3 when the season finishes.
If Wrexham fans expected a walkover, by roaring their team to victory, they were mistaken. This was just as important to Mansfield as it was to them.
Instead, the Stags tamed the dragon and although Mickey Boulding's strike was not enough to gain all three points, Mansfield finished the game all square and without losing ground in the battle to avoid the drop.
In doing so, they ensured Wrexham stayed four points behind them. Not mission accomplished, nor mission failed. But for the Welsh outfit, they knew this was a must-win game and a golden chance was blown.
The first half was one to forget, a poor spectacle. But it was Mansfield who nullified the threat from the hosts.
They frustrated Wrexham into making mistakes to sour the pre-match party mood.
It was obvious in the first half why both teams were in the bottom two and it was not that Mansfield produced anything special in the second.
But despite a young team, there remains a positive vibe in the squad, a belief they can pull clear and it is that energy that is so lacking at other clubs in such precarious positions that might just bring them through by the end. Not to mention a 20-goal striker in Boulding.
The opening 45 minutes saw the Stags have to cope with a three-man attack of Michael Proctor, Drewe Broughton and Chris Llewellyn. But Mansfield handled the long-ball approach, restricting Wrexham mainly to efforts from distance.
Jeff Whitley fired wide on the volley and Carl Muggleton once scrambled down to his right to save Proctor's shot on the turn.
Their best chance came from a Silvio Spann free-kick, curled into the box but the three strikers failed to find that decisive touch. Meanwhile it was the Stags' final product that hindered them with Keith Briggs, Will Atkinson and Matt Hamshaw guilty of failing to deliver the final ball when getting into good positions.
Atkinson fired wide from the edge of the box, while a neat one-two between Boulding and Gareth Jelleyman resulted in the full-back having a free shot on goal but he only found the hands of the goalkeeper Gavin Ward. Had roles been reversed with Boulding in such a great position, the outcome could have been different.
Nathan Arnold replaced Hamshaw at the start of the second half as he was suffering with illness and then the breakthrough came eight minutes in.
Briggs fired a low shot which Boulding, realising it was going wide, managed to get his foot to and divert into the opposite corner, leaving Ward stranded.
Llewellyn produced a reply as he fired a 20-yard shot just under the bar and Muggleton tipped over. But from there Mansfield looked confident and when they did get the ball down to try to play, it worked well.
Boulding fired a shot at Ward before Briggs went close from the edge of the box. And when Atkinson cut inside, it looked like he would score. But he fired well wide.
Just when it looked like Dearden's side could kill the game off, Chris Wood gave away a needless free-kick inside the semi-circle on the edge of his own box. Proctor's low free-kick found its way beyond the wall and into the bottom corner.
Another set-piece, another setback and despite Boulding's battling run into the box late on, he could not get the ball out of his feet to shoot when under pressure from two defenders.
The equaliser 20 minutes from time had fired up the Wrexham faithful but Mansfield showed character to ensure they did not throw away a point.
But there was frustration this game did not end up as a fifth successive league win on the road but 13 points from a possible 15 away from Field Mill is promotion form, never mind that to dig you out of a relegation battle.
But at home Mansfield have lost six and drawn the other of their last seven league matches, so it is obvious what has to be rectified. There is frustration at the way they conceded from another set-play but in this duel, Mansfield played the role of party poopers on what Wrexham hoped would be a double celebration.
It might not have been three points but Dearden's side showed they are up for the fight and have the stomach to haul themselves out of the relegation zone. It is going to go to the wire so Mansfield now have to eradicate the soft goals to help their charge.
Their position still looks more than ominous but they offer glimpses that they are capable of achieving their goal.
And while May 3 might not be a national day of celebration, the Stags will be hoping come 5pm on that day at Dagenham, they will be holding their own celebrations at winning their fight for survival.