Burnley, in third, still hold the trump card though despite losing 3-1 at Walsall in a bad-tempered encounter. The Clarets now eight points behind Wrexham with a massive five games in hand, and five points off Carlisle with only three games in hand. Both United and Wrexham hoping that such a busy fixture list takes its toll on the young Clarets as the season draws to a close.
Preston leapfrogged Port Vale to move up to the fourth table with an excellent 4-1 victory away to the Valiants, while in sixth come Oldham who could only draw 0-0 at Macclesfield. Into the mid-table reaches and Wigan defeated Bury 1-0 at home, while Stockport surprisingly slipped up 1-0 on their own turf against rock-bottom Accrington, that being only Stanley's second league win of the season. They did revert to normal form today though as they lost 3-1 at home to Macclesfield in a rearranged game from earlier in the season.
Staying at Accrington's end of the table Tranmere and Blackpool drew 1-1 on the Wirral, while Rochdale have been showing signs of improvement recently, that being carried on with a 4-0 win on the road at Shrewsbury. Finally it finished honours even between Chester and second-bottom Morecambe, the Shrimps grabbing a rare point away from home with a 1-1 draw.
Next weekend it's Carlisle and Wrexham who seem to have the easiest looking fixtures on paper, with Burnley playing Wigan at home. The Red Dragons making the trip to lowly Bury while United stay on Cumbrian soil when they face Chester in an 11am kick-off, the venue for the match yet to be confirmed.
Result in the division on Wednesday 4th March
Preston North End P-P Wrexham (1pm)
Results in the division on Saturday 7th March
Chester City 1-1 Morecambe
Macclesfield Town 0-0 Oldham Athletic
Port Vale 1-4 Preston North End
Shrewsbury Town 0-4 Rochdale
Stockport County 0-1 Accrington Stanley
Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Blackpool
Walsall 3-1 Burnley
Wigan Athletic 1-0 Bury
Wrexham 1-1 Carlisle United (12noon)
Result in the division on Monday 9th March
Accrington Stanley 1-3 Macclesfield Town
Fixtures in the division on Saturday 14th March
Accrington Stanley v Tranmere Rovers
Blackpool v Walsall
Burnley v Wigan Athletic
Bury v Wrexham
Carlisle United v Chester City
Morecambe v Macclesfield Town
Oldham v Port Vale
Preston North End v Shrewsbury Town
Rochdale v Stockport County
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