Wrexham avoided defeat in the first League One away game of the season, drawing 0-0 at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday afternoon.
Phil Parkinson returned to very familiar surroundings as he took his Wrexham side to take on Bolton Wanderers.
Parkinson spent three years in charge of Bolton between 2016 and 2019 but is now the head of the Wrexham rise.
After beating Wycombe Wanderers 3-2 last weekend, Wrexham were beaten at Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
Parkinson will have been hoping to tighten up a little at the back after conceding six goals in two games and that is just what he saw.
Wrexham were solid defensively in a 0-0 draw against Bolton, with goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo keeping the hosts at bay when they did create chances.
Sky Sports pundit hails Arthur Okonkwo
Okonkwo just would not be beaten on Sunday afternoon.
The Wrexham stopper made a string if fine saves, including a second-half stop to keep a deflected Dion Charles strike out.
Bolton just could not find the answer to beating Okonkwo as the Wrexham stopper picked up his first clean sheet of the season.
When the topic of choosing a Player of the Match came up on Sky Sports, pundit Sam Parkin was in no doubt.
Parkin told Sky Sports (18/08, 4;45pm) that he felt Okonkwo was the best player on the pitch in this 0-0 stalemate.
Parkin added that Okonkwo simply ‘superb’ against Bolton in terms of shot stopping and commanding his area.
The former Swindon Town striker added that naming Okonkwo as the Player of the Match was ‘quite an easy decision’ having seen him frustrate Bolton again and again.
“Well, it had to be a defender or goalkeeper on a day like today and that man Okonkwo, with his hands, superb today,” said Parkin. “Commanding his area, alleviating a lot of pressure for that defence and also a couple of top saves, so quite an easy decision in the end,” he added.
Okonkwo proving his worth again
Wrexham have made some brilliant signings this summer.
Dan Scarr, George Dobson and Ollie Rathbone bring proven League One quality whilst Wrexham have added a couple of promising talents in Lewis Brunt and Sebastian Revan.
Wrexham’s marquee addition was Okonkwo though; forget a club-record deal for Rathbone, it’s the former Arsenal goalkeeper who is the biggest coup for Wrexham.
Okonkwo was outstanding on loan at Wrexham last season and certainly put himself in the shop window for perceivably bigger clubs.
Wrexham managed to get the deal done though with Okonkwo’s agent even calling the move ‘brilliant’.
Okonkwo is now showing his value in League One, as many Wrexham fans expected, and more outstanding displays will surely come this season.