Ben Foster save takes Wrexham close to promotion with win over Notts County

The journey back to the Football League has been long and torturous for Wrexham, not simply decorated by Hollywood stardust and riches all the way, but the promised land is within their grasp after 15 years away. On an unforgettable afternoon against Notts County, their closest rivals for automatic promotion from the National League and another historic club rebuilding for better days, Wrexham reclaimed top spot with a script Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney may have considered too outlandish.

Less than a month after coming out of retirement, 40-year-old goalkeeper Ben Foster saved a 96th-minute penalty to deliver a victory that leaves Phil Parkinson’s team three points clear with four games to play. Wrexham trailed at the interval but stirred along with an impassioned crowd to lead 3-2 with 11 minutes left.

Then, in the final act, defender Eoghan O’Connell was penalised for handling a Macaulay Langstaff header at point-blank range inside the Wrexham area. Notts County substitute Cedwyn Scott drilled the spot-kick towards Foster’s bottom right-hand corner. The veteran saved superbly, the wonderful Racecourse Ground erupted and Wrexham’s celebrity owners had their Hollywood ending. Well, almost.

Parkinson was at pains to stress that the one automatic promotion spot is not yet guaranteed. More certain, as Foster told the owners in the dressing room afterwards, is that Reynolds and McElhenney may never witness a game as entertaining or exhausting as this again.

“Rob kissed me fully on the lips and Ryan called me a double handsome bastard – I’ll take that from him,” said the former Watford and West Brom goalkeeper. “They’re over the moon, and I said you’d better end the documentary now because you’ll never get a better game