Wrexham have promotion back in their hands following a 2-1 victory against Blackpool.
James McClean starred in the Wrexham player ratings v Blackpool as the captain put two missed opportunities behind him to open the scoring in the second half.
Ollie Rathbone was superb in midfield and he got a thoroughly deserved second following some great hold up play by striker Jay Rodriguez.
Phil Parkinson will be disappointed not to see out another clean sheet as Robert Apter fired past Arthur Okonkwo in that final few seconds but Wrexham have put themselves into a commanding position with two games remaining.
Phil Parkinson highlights how Wrexham ‘exploited’ Blackpool
Speaking to Wrexham’s official Matchday Live after the game, the Red Dragons boss revealed how Blackpool manager Steve Bruce actually played into Wrexham’s hands during the clash.
Parkinson stated: “At half time it was a case of more of the same, I didn’t think they would change it too much because obviously Brucey [Steve Bruce] knew he had to win today,
“He picked a very open, attacking team and that created space for us and we exploited that really well today.”
The Wrexham boss was delighted with how much freedom his side played with even under immense pressure in the promotion race and their bravery was rewarded with an excellent three points.
Ollie Rathbone match statistics v Blackpool
One of the players that really took advantage of the extra space on the counter attack was Rathbone and he was the driving force behind the win with an exceptional display.
Rathbone showed some touches of real stand-out quality in the first half but exerted his authority on the match at the start of the second, combining often with McClean on the left flank.
| Blackpool v Wrexham match statistics | Rathbone |
| Minutes played | 89 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Pass completion | 74% |
| Dribble success | 100% |
| Ground duels won | 8/14 |
| Total tackles won | 6 |
Rathbone is a Wrexham player of the season contender after notching yet another important goal for his side.
His performances from midfield have been full of determination and tenacity but his creativity and quality have also really come to the fore since the turn of the calendar year.