Lincoln United manager Scott Hellewell has said: “It’s back in our hands” in a week where his side got themselves back in the UCL Northern Premier League title race.
The Whites drew 1-1 with AFC Mansfield at the Sun Hat Villas and Resorts Stadium.
Captain Elliott Dye converted an 85th minute penalty to equalise, after Kaylum Mitchell had given the visitors the lead in the first half.
Despite failing to win Lincoln were helped by results elsewhere as title rivals Eastwood CFC lost to 15th placed Wisbech 2-1 away from home.
The Whites boss said: “Yeah, it’s not swung in our favour at all, but it’s back in our hands for the first time in a long long while.
“It means we basically have to win near enough every game, but a month or so ago with the table looking how it was, would we have taken where we are now? Absolutely!”
A 2-0 win for United away at Shirebrook Town on Tuesday has left the title race very tight. Hellewell’s team sit five points off top spot with a game in hand on the two teams above them.
They also have a highly anticipated fixture with Eastwood to come on April 12, meaning they’ll have the chance to leapfrog their rivals with a victory.
Hellewell added: “It’s hard not to focus on other teams…but when you draw a game and you’re a little bit disappointed, and you look at results and see that Eastwood have lost, it does make it a bit more positive.”
Lincoln will host Melton Town as they look to begin to close the gap this Saturday.
