Notts County rescued a point to avoid suffering back to back defeats as Alex Lacey's stoppage-time goal snatched a 1-1 draw against Yeovil.
Alex Bradley had given the visitors the lead when he struck into an unguarded net after a poor backpass from Ed Francis had caused panic in the defence.
The Magpies did have chances to score in the first half as Ruben Rodrigues and Kyle Wootton went close, but that was as good as it got for head coach Ian Burchnall's side.
Notts attempted to launch a response late on and finally found the breakthrough when Lacey headed in Matt Palmer's free-kick in stoppage time.
Title dream over
Prior to Tuesday's game against Chesterfield, there had been talk that Notts could still force themselves into title contention given they were 12 points behind leaders Stockport with two games in hand.
But a 3-1 defeat on Tuesday night delivered a significant blow to those hopes while a draw here against Yeovil offered little evidence that Notts will be involved in the reckoning come May.
Stockport's win at Aldershot increased the gap to 14 points which only reinforced the view that Dave Challinor's side appears to be champions in waiting.
Notts would love to be part of that conversation, but even with a game in hand and the Hatters still to play, Burchnall's side are going to have to be foot perfect to get anywhere near the summit.
The realists will admit that the best Notts can really hope for is to finish second or third, which is certainly not beyond them, but this month will be crucial given the tough fixtures that lie in wait.
A trip to Neal Ardley's Solihull Moors on Tuesday is followed by one of the biggest games of the season at Stockport with a much-anticipated FA Trophy quarter-final against Wrexham sandwiched in between.
With Grimsby and Bromley hoping to barge Notts out of the top seven, the importance of these next few weeks has become crystal clear.
But as far as the title is concerned, there is a growing acceptance from the supporters that the title is now beyond them which has left them faced with the prospect of another crack at the play-offs.
Cameron blow
Burchnall was not alone in feeling a touch of concern when skipper Kyle Cameron slumped to the turf midway through the first half after giving chase to a Yeovil attack.
Burchnall admitted afterwards that is a suspected hamstring problem with his fitness now set to be assessed in the next 48 hours.
But he is already considered a doubt for Solihull on Tuesday when Notts face the prospect of facing their former manager Neal Ardley.
Everybody of the black and white persuasion will hope it is nothing too serious given just how important Cameron's quality is to this team.
The club captain has been an excellent signing following his arrival from Torquay last summer and epitomises how Burchnall encourages his centre-backs to be brave in possession.
He has become a crucial component in that respect so to lose him at this stage of the season, ahead of such a pivotal month, would represent a significant blow.
Fingers crossed that his hamstring problem is not one that keeps him out on the sidelines for too long because it's not just what he delivers on the pitch that is so important, but his leadership too.
Spirit
This performance was a long way off the Notts County we have come to expect this season given they have often brushed aside most teams at Meadow Lane.
Only Grimsby and Woking have won here in the league and for long spells, it appeared Yeovil would join an extremely limited club.
Burchnall's side struggled to regain any kind of rhythm after conceding so early in the second half, a goal that could have been avoided had Ed Francis been far more aware of what was behind him.
But despite being far from their best, Notts continued to plough away in the hope they could salvage something from the game.
In the end, when it all started to get a bit desperate, up popped Alex Lacey with a header to snatch a point in nine minutes of stoppage time.
While there were lots of complaints about the performance as a whole, at least Notts hung in there.
On a day of a few plus points, it at least demonstrated their spirit.
Answers on a postcard
Football is not all about money as promotions for Barrow and Sutton United have proven in recent seasons, but it certainly helps.
And looking at the summit, it is perhaps no surprise that the teams with the three biggest budgets in the league sit first, second and third.
Notts can certainly hold their own when it comes to finance, but it's nowhere near the reams of cash that Wrexham, Chesterfield and Stockport have spent this season.
Notts cannot compete with some of the crazy wages that are being thrown around in the division, but they have still built an excellent team through their recruitment model.
But for all of their qualities, there does seem to be something lacking from this team although putting your finger on it, is a perplexing task.
Some fans believe a commanding central midfielder is still required while others believe another centre-forward, who has a history of scoring goals, would also take the team to another level.
But Notts are the third-highest scorers in the division and while their goals against record is the worst in the top eight, there are only a few goals in it.
So if somebody could nail what Notts exactly need, send your answers in. We'd love to hear them.
