Glory-hunting Tranmere are preparing for the most crucial weekend of their season with a mid-week break for the first time since the start of the year.
Rovers finally moved up to third and into the automatic promotion places with a draw against Mansfield Town on Saturday at Prenton Park.
But having taken the lead through Kaiyne Woolery on the stroke of half time, they were punished for missing chances to put the game to bed when Stephen Quinn volleyed home a stunning equaliser 14 minutes from time, ensuring the spoils were shared.
Tranmere’s assistant manager Ian Dawes said: “The difference between winning that game and drawing it today was getting that second goal.
“You know in football that when you have the opportunity to score that second goal and kill the game, if you don’t take them it just gives the opposition that bit of hope. Can they score something out of nothing?
“I thought they did really. We’ve dealt with the cross well but the lad’s scored a volley from outside the box. It’s a fantastic goal.
“But the problem wasn’t that, it was that we couldn’t get that second goal to see the game out.”
Tranmere were forced into an early change when goalkeeper and captain Scott Davies was forced off after only 13 minutes after dropping to the floor in agony.
Leaving the field on a stretcher, it was later revealed that the injury was a snapped Achilles tendon - a devastating blow for Davies who will now likely miss the rest of the season.
Fortunately for Rovers, they have a highly experienced deputy in the shape of veteran stopper Joe Murphy.
Mansfield were clearly a decent outfit, but as the first half wore on it was the hosts who looked the more likely to score, with both Peter Clarke and Woolery going close.
But a goal finally arrived in first half stoppage time when a diving header clearance from Stags defender Kellan Gordon rebounded straight into the path of Woolery, who slammed the ball past Aiden Stone without a moment’s hesitation.
Feeney smashed a first time effort just wide straight after the break before Ali Crawford missed a glorious chance to make it 2-0, side-footing a Woolery pull back over the bar when it looked easier to score.
Profligacy in front of goal would prove costly for Keith Hill’s men.
Mansfield fired a warning shot just past the hour mark when Jamie Reid fluffed his lines in front of goal by putting a wonderful opportunity the wrong side of Murphy’s far post.
When substitute David Nugent headed a killer delivery from Feeney over the bar from six yards, Rovers had used up one chance too many.
The Stags drew level in the 76th minute when a headed clearance dropped for Quinn on the edge of the box, who let fly with a sumptuous volley that left Murphy grasping at thin air.
Tranmere pushed for a winner, but despite several productive forays down the right wing from Otis Khan, they couldn’t carve out a second goal and had to settle for what was probably a fair point.
With Bolton beating Forest Green elsewhere, the point was enough to move Rovers up to third, as they embark on the two biggest matches of their season.
On Good Friday the Whites will travel to second-placed Cheltenham Town - a match that will be televised live on Sky Sports - before entertaining table-toppers Cambridge United on Easter Monday.
Dawes added: “We haven’t had a midweek off since the first week of January. For the players to do what they’ve done and game after game give everything for the club, I think we’ve got to give them praise and keep encouraging them and pushing them forward for the final run-in.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here