Wrexham have secured a place in the third round of the Carabao Cup after coming from behind to beat Preston North End.
Phil Parkinson may now have Wrexham in the ideal spot for a Carabao Cup run.
Wrexham were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the first round last season, and were dumped out in round two a year earlier.
Parkinson’s side are now into round three, as Wrexham beat Preston North End 3-2 at Deepdale on Tuesday night.
PNE were the better side in the first half and may have been disappointed to only be 2-1 up at half-time.
North End were forced to withdraw attackers in the second half due to injury concerns, and Wrexham seized the initiative to turn the game on its head.
Phil Parkinson on Ryan Hardie performance
Harry Ashfield’s deflected strike brought Wrexham level at 2-2, before substitute Kieffer Moore won it in stoppage time.
Wrexham were much improved in the second half, but the major moment of quality in the first half still belonged to Parkinson’s side.
Summer signing Ryan Hardie picked up the ball down the left channel and pulled off a stunning finish beyond Jack Walton to make it 1-1.
Hardie swivelled and produced an inch-perfect strike to score his first competitive Wrexham goal in style.
The Scot has now been praised by boss Parkinson, with the Wrexham boss branding his goal ‘outstanding’.
Parkinson added that Hardie is a ‘terrific player’, and drew special attention towards his ‘top-class’ movement in the final third.
“It was an outstanding goal,” said Parkinson.
“I think it was a great move, we worked the ball into this left-hand channel and what a finish to get us back in the game.
“I’m pleased for Ryan, I really am. He’s a terrific player, his movement is top class, and him and Smudge did really well,” he added.
Ryan Hardie could start for Wrexham against Millwall
Hardie linked up nicely with Sam Smith against PNE, and may hope that his performance lands him a place in the starting lineup against Millwall this weekend.
Match-winner Moore will surely start again, but the role of his strike partner is up for grabs.
Josh Windass remains on the sidelines through injury, while Nathan Broadhead is nursing a calf problem.
Parkinson has vowed to be cautious over Broadhead’s issue, and that means he could start from the bench against Millwall.
That could present a chance for Hardie to start for Wrexham and look to build on that stunning goal against PNE.