Wrexham took on local rivals Shrewsbury Town after a lengthy period without a game and the chance to go to the top of League One.
Wrexham trailed early on in the game thanks to a superb strike from striker John Marquis following a slip from defender Eoghan O’Connell.
Phil Parkinson promised that Wrexham would compete for everything and his side battled back soon after with a Steven Fletcher header- his fifth goal in his last seven appearances.
O’Connell scored 1/10 in the Wrexham player ratings. His nightmare game continued when he gave away a penalty to allow Marquis to restore Shrewsbury’s lead and ensure they walked away with the derby bragging rights.
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Five things you missed from Wrexham’s defeat to Shrewsbury Town
With such a highly-charged atmosphere and a disappointing result for Wrexham in the League One promotion race, here are five things that you may have missed from the match.
Wrexham had a free kick delayed because of balloons on the pitch
In a bizarre incident in the first half, Wrexham were made to wait to take a free kick in a dangerous position to allow Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Jamal Blackman the opportunity to burst several balloons.
The yellow and blue balloons had been released as part of a pre-match routine by the home side but became a distraction as they made their way on to the pitch.
The Red Dragons free kick eventually came to nothing however, the home side would have been kicking themselves had they conceded through losing concentration of their own doing.
Gareth Ainsworth furious at Wrexham’s first goal not being disallowed
Shrewsbury Town manager Gareth Ainsworth was furious at the award of Wrexham’s equaliser as it appeared Ollie Rathbone fouled midfielder Alex Gilliead in the build up to Steven Fletcher’s header.
The referee waved play to continue and the ball was spread wide to wing-back Ryan Barnett, who provided a delicious cross for the Scottish international to equalise.
During the Sky Sports match coverage of the game, commentator Dave Edwards stated: “Ollie Rathbone plays the ball but does he just go through the back of Gilliead as he wins it?”
Ryan Barnett provides another assist for Wrexham
Ryan Barnett returned to the squad following injury and provided yet another assist with a wonderful cross for Wrexham’s equaliser from Fletcher.
It was Barnett’s eighth assist of the season and he now leads the charts for the most assists in League One, pulling two clear of Barnsley’s Corey O’Keeffe in second place.
| Player and club | Number of assists 24/25 |
| Ryan Barnett (Wrexham) | 8 |
| Corey O’Keeffe (Barnsley) | 6 |
| Cameron Humphreys (Wycombe) | 6 |
| Lewis Wing (Reading) | 6 |
| Kwame Poku (Peterborough) | 5 |
The 25-year-old was a constant threat throughout the game and Wrexham’s only real bright spark on a disappointing night.
Parkinson will be hoping that Barnett can continue to provide chances for his strikers as the battle for the Championship intensifies.
Wrexham’s poor away form continues
Wrexham have won just three matches away from the Racecourse Ground this season in League One, form that will not be good enough to fulfil their wish of gaining promotion.
| Wrexham’s last five away fixtures | Result |
| Shrewsbury Town | |
| Barnsley | Lost 2-1 |
| Bristol Rovers | Drew 1-1 |
| Burton Albion | Won 1-0 |
| Stockport County | Lost 1-0 |
With Huddersfield becoming a major threat in the promotion race, it is imperative that Parkinson’s side drastically improve performances and results away from home if they are to stand any chance of gaining promotion.
Wrexham’s ultimate goal is to reach the Premier League but the Red Dragons need to start replicating their tremendous home form if they are to take another step towards that.
Phil Parkinson changed Wrexham’s formation in search of the equaliser
The introduction of Paul Mullin and Jack Marriott in the second half for Andy Cannon and Eoghan O’Connell prompted a change in formation for the Red Dragons.
Parkinson’s side began the game with their usual 3-5-2 formation however, with the desperation for an equaliser increasing, the manager threw more bodies forward and changed to a 4-3-3.
Heading into eight minutes of added time, Modou Faal also entered the fray to ensure four strikers were on the pitch at once but to no avail as Wrexham fell agonisingly short.