Is it me or was it scary out there? For 20 minutes in the second half, that didn’t feel comfortable at all.

In fact, if their striker Cullen hadn’t taken a runaway lead in the PFA Comedy Moment of the Season Award, tapping the ball in while standing offside when it was already heading in, then this might have turned out very differently.

It shouldn’t have done. I was declaring at half time to anyone who would listen that we were making a poor side look average; at the start of the second half we made a poor side look like Barcelona.

To be fair, Stockport had heart, but they lacked quality or experience and after our devastating opening fifteen minutes I thought we were going to hammer them. It brought back memories of the 4-0 thrashing last season, when coincidentally Chris Blackburn’s abysmal return to The Racecourse was the runaway winner of last season’s PFA Comedy Moment of the Season Award.

But we didn’t get the second goal which probably would have led to their capitulation and therefore allowed them a path back into the match. They took their opportunity to be fair, and used the slick pitch to their advantage. While we forgot the principles which allowed us to take control of the match, they applied them, running at defenders who were unsure of their footing, playing balls in behind our back four which forced them to turn in slippery conditions, and presing with enthusiasm to win the ball back early. It was a terrific template to follow for any Gainsborough scouts watching.

But they’re not near the bottom of the table without reason, and neither are we up the top by accident. They didn’t take their opportunities when they had the chance to, and we punished them as a consequence.

But it was hard work, wasn’t it?

Wrexham (4-3-3): Maxwell; S Wright, Westwood, Riley, Ashton; Harris, Keates, Clarke; D Wright, Morrell (Ogleby 77), Hunt (Cieslewicz 67) Unused subs: Declan Walker, Glen Little, Nick Rushton.

Attendance: 4,206

Miscellaneous: Martin Riley’s 150th career league appearance.