Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has praised two players for spearheading a key change that helped his side beat Millwall in the Championship.
Wrexham toppled Millwall to claim their first Championship win of the 2025/26 campaign, with goals from Kieffer Moore and Lewis O’Brien sealing the victory on away turf.
Unlike previous games, which saw Wrexham draw to Sheffield Wednesday in disappointing circumstances, whilst also losing to West Brom and Southampton, the Red Dragons were able to hold onto their lead and come away with all three points.
A lengthy period of stoppage time at the end of the game could have worked against Wrexham’s favour, but they remained resolute before completing a counterattack with an O’Brien goal.
Following the game, Phil Parkinson noted one substantial improvement from his team that was pivotal to the win, and two players have been thanked for leading it.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson notes Conor Coady and Matty James impact after Millwall win
The win away at The Den saw Wrexham keep their first clean sheet of the season, having waited six games for that feat.
The clean sheet was fully deserved for Phil Parkinson’s side, who were able to quash the threat delivered by Millwall due to one clear change in Wrexham’s tactic, and that was the emphasis of keeping the ball and looking to dictate the game.
It is a difficult task to control the ball for large periods away from home, especially against Millwall, but Parkinson’s side managed it brilliantly.
This was also noticed by Parkinson, who spoke about the impact that both Conor Coady and Matty James had on the contest due to their ability to ‘control’ the ball.
“The biggest lesson we’ve learned is that when leading in games, you have to keep the ball,” said Parkinson via The Athletic. “Against Southampton, we were just clearing it anywhere. Against Sheffield Wednesday, we gave the ball away too cheaply too many times.
“At this level, the ball just keeps coming back and it is wave after wave after wave of attacks. We spoke to Conor Coady and Matty James. To say they’re the players we need to get control of the ball. We did that a lot better today.”
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Matty James was the unsung hero vs Millwall
While Kieffer Moore and Lewis O’Brien will take the plaudits following their goals in the win against Millwall, the impact made by Matty James should not go unnoticed.
Whether it was his defensive contributions, his experience to help see the game out, or the calmness he possessed on the ball, Wrexham may have struggled without the capabilities of James in the centre of the park.
The Red Dragons midfielder, via SofaScore, managed a respectable 82% pass accuracy, whilst also winning 70% of duels. His defensive efforts are also emphasised by his three successful tackles, as well as three clearances.