Phil Parkinson has praised the impact of strikers Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer off the bench in helping Wrexham run out 2-1 winners against Sutton United.
Wrexham were downbeat as they travelled to South London after losing three straight matches in League Two.
In a match against a side struggling at the bottom of the table, it was always going to be a fight for Phil Parkinson’s side to win the three points.
The Reds pushed and probed to find that first goal and it came from an unlikely source as centre-back Will Boyle fired the visitors in front with a calm finish.
Sutton then fought back as Charlie Lakin thought he’d secured his side a precious point 15 minutes from time, however, midfielder Elliot Lee popped up with a late winner, sparking scenes of jubilation in the away end.
For Wrexham, a victory kept them within touching distance of third place Crewe Alexandra and there was one particular moment that swayed the contest in Parkinson’s favour.
Ollie Palmer and Paul Mullin ‘changed the game’ for Wrexham
Although Lee was the match-winner, Parkinson reserved praise for the impact Ollie Palmer and Paul Mullin made from the bench.
He introduced the pair on the 72nd minute as they replaced Jack Marriott and Stephen Fletcher up top.
While this was only Palmer’s third appearance in nine matches, the 32-year-old made an instant impact from the bench by being a complete nuisance up against the Sutton defenders.
Speaking to the club’s official YouTube channel after the game, Parkinson was pleased with how they changed the game for Wrexham.
He said: “Him [Paul Mullin] and Ollie [Palmer] when they came on, I thought they were excellent, they changed the game for us when we needed it the most.”
Managers earn their money by making the difficult decisions, and the one to bring on Mullin and Palmer proved pivotal in the outcome of the match.
Parkinson tactical masterstroke
Parkinson has five solid strikers at his disposal and this provides him with a good headache to have.
The fact that Mullin and Palmer were available to bring off the bench just shows the embarrassment of attacking talent that the Wrexham manager can call upon.
It gives him so many different options depending on the personnel they’re against and ultimately, the decision to bring on his striking duo was a tactical masterstroke.
He rolled the dice in an attempt to win the game by being bold with his substitutions, and it paid off.
Wrexham now host Notts County in what will be a fascinating clash on Saturday afternoon.