Wrexham will travel back to Wales delighted, after battling Storm Darragh to overcome Burton Albion in League One on Saturday.
Wrexham’s 1-0 win over Burton was their fourth in succession, bringing them level on points with League One leaders Wycombe Wanderers on 40 points.
In what was a unique clash due to the impact of Storm Darragh, but the Red Dragons were able to use the conditions to their advantage as Elliot Lee scored directly from a corner to earn Wrexham the three points.
Here are five things we learned from Wrexham’s 1-0 victory over Burton Albion in League One.
Storm Darragh played a telling role
Wrexham vs Barnsley wasn’t postponed despite the threat of Storm Darragh, but the brutal winds still played a crucial part in the proceedings.
After a first half where both sides struggled to adapt to the conditions, Lee left Wrexham fans amazed as he curled a corner into the back of the net, the decisive moment in a match that was marred by the weather.
Phil Parkinson’s adaptable tactics
Given the wind, it wouldn’t have been wise for Wrexham to play with their usual, effective long balls up to their target men.
Instead, Wrexham’s coaching staff clearly adapted as the Red Dragons had 66% of the possession, a whole 22% more than their average this season of 44%. Even as Burton attempted to fight back into the match in the second period, Wrexham still ended the game with 56% of the ball.
Eoghan O’Connell stars with the captain’s armband
With James McClean suspended, Eoghan O’Connell led the Wrexham squad out at the Pirelli Stadium with immense poise and composure.
The Irish defender won seven aerial duels in difficult conditions, whilst also winning 67% of his ground duels. He wasn’t dribbled past once by Burton’s pacey attackers and also managed to complete 84% of his passes as Wrexham successfully kept hold of possession away from home.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson left out of the squad
Ollie Palmer and Lee have become Parkinson’s go to pair up front during Wrexham’s run of consecutive wins, leaving the rest of the club’s striking options to fight for a place on the bench.
Steven Fletcher has shown his value in his cameos after returning from injury and Paul Mullin is always going to feture in the squad in some way, leaving no room for Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.
Bodvarsson joined Wrexham on a deal until January, with that deal looking unlikely to be extended based on the squad against Burton.
Wrexham showing promotion pedigree
The old cliche of promotion-winning teams winning the ugly games of football may be tired, but the Red Dragons are doing just that based on their results in recent weeks.
Three consecutive 1-0 wins including Wrexham’s win against Barnsley, a fellow promotion challenger, show that Parkinson’s side are able to win in difficult circumstances, a trait which which will serve them well in the weeks and months to come.