Wrexham have secured an important win on the road after beating Mansfield Town 2-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Wrexham were beaten by Leyton Orient in midweek and simply had to respond away at Mansfield Town on Sunday.
Phil Parkinson name a number of changes in an attempt to get back on track and Wrexham got the job done.
An early own goal from Calum Macdonald put Wrexham ahead and Parkinson watched a host of chances go begging.
Macdonald ended up levelling the score but defender Max Cleworth stepped up with a brilliant finish to win the game 2-1.
Wrexham could and arguably should have had more, but a potentially nervy finish was handled brilliantly as three more points were added to the tally.
Here are five key talking points as Wrexham won on the road once again…
Max Cleworth’s price tag on the rise again
Nobody at Wrexham would ever want to sell Max Cleworth with the homegrown defender ultimately one of the first names on Parkinson’s team sheet.
The reality is that Premier League and top Championship clubs may well be looking at Cleworth and his exceptional development at Wrexham.
Cleworth is a brilliant defender, comfortable on the ball but also quick and strong to snuff out attacks down the right side.
Going forward, Cleworth has now scored eight times in all competitions and he could have even had more on Sunday.
Cleworth had one shot blocked in the first half and hit the bar shortly before pinging a superb strike into the net.
Wrexham missed out on the likes of Harry Wilson, Tom Lawrence and Neco Williams in the local area and lost Danny Ward and Jonny Smith at young ages.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have the financial clout to keep Cleworth for a while yet though, with his price tag no doubt going up by the game.
Jay Rodriguez waiting for Wrexham lift-off
Sam Smith looked a threat once again but strike partner Jay Rodriguez still hasn’t quite clicked in this Wrexham side.
Rodriguez is still waiting for his first Wrexham goal but watched Smith open his account against Northampton Town last weekend.
The veteran has plenty of quality but Wrexham are yet to see him really bring a consistent goal threat.
Smith even laid one chance on a plate for Rodriguez, setting him up in the middle of the box with goalkeeper Scott Flinders in no man’s land.
Rodriguez had the goal at his mercy but managed to shoot straight at the one Mansfield defender on the line.
The Stags ended up scoring after that moment and Rodriguez didn’t look any more likely to score from that point, enduring a frustrating afternoon.
The moment will surely come for Rodriguez soon though, with his situation somewhat mirroring Jack Marriott’s slow start this time last year; patience is needed despite some unconvincing displays.
Cruel blow for Andy Cannon
If there is one major blow from this win, it’s the injury to midfielder Andy Cannon.
Cannon came into the side in place of Matty James as Parkinson attempted to bring more attacking impetus to the Wrexham team.
Cannon can certainly provide goals from midfield but he sadly sustained what looked to be a nasty injury in the first half.
Given oxygen on the pitch and taken off on a stretcher, Cannon appeared to be in significant pain.
It’s too early to tell just how long Cannon will be out for after this blow, but it may be a surprise to see him in action again this season.
The timing is terrible with Elliot Lee still out of action, meaning Parkinson may need to get creative in the engine room.
Paul Mullin snubbed again
As Wrexham’s lineup to face Mansfield dropped at 2pm, fans will have noticed the name of Paul Mullin on the bench.
Mullin has been left out by Parkinson of late with the Wrexham goal hero not even named on the bench against Northampton Town or Leyton Orient.
Parkinson restored Mullin to the bench at Mansfield but still didn’t call on him as a substitute.
Steven Fletcher and Jack Marriott were once again given the nod as Parkinson’s preferred attacking changes.
Mullin was left as an unused substitute, which is no doubt a strange feeling for the man who has been the poster boy of this Wrexham rise.
Still, the EFL Trophy clash with Peterborough United is just days away and Mullin will be looking to feature there in the hope of making a big impact.
A big win at the perfect time
Wrexham simply had to win this one.
Mansfield have been in dreadful form and Wycombe Wanderers only managed a draw on Saturday afternoon.
This was a golden chance to close the gap to second place and Wrexham did just that, now sitting just three points behind Wycombe.
Wrexham also needed a morale-boosting victory ahead of Wednesday’s EFL Trophy clash with Peterborough United.
Now on a high with this victory, Wrexham will hopefully take real confidence into that game and book a final place against Birmingham City.
Losing to Leyton Orient in midweek was a colossal blow but Wrexham hit back with a vital win to get right back on track again.