Wrexham fell to defeat on Sunday afternoon, losing 1-0 away at League Two side Harrogate Town in the fist round of the FA Cup.
Wrexham’s attention pivoted away from League One action and over to the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon.
Wrexham were pitted against Harrogate Town in the FA Cup first round draw and this was always going to be a tricky journey.
Harrogate frustrated Wrexham twice last season, claiming two draws as Phil Parkinson secured promotion to League One.
Simon Weaver’s side went one better this time though, beating Wrexham 1-0 thanks to Jack Muldoon’s first-half header.
Amid plenty of shots but a lack of real quality, Wrexham’s approach to the game was criticised by Kevin Ratcliffe with Parkinson’s side now dumped out.
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Harrogate Town boss on ‘exciting’ Wrexham story
Wrexham have enjoyed some superb third round away days in recent years, notably beating Coventry City and Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup.
That is certainly a factor in why this first round exit is so disappointing; Wrexham were facing League Two opposition and just couldn’t get the job done.
There will be no fairytale FA Cup run for Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds this season and Parkinson is viewing this defeat as a wake up call for Wrexham.
Harrogate boss Simon Weaver has offered his view too, telling The Athletic that he finds Wrexham’s rise ‘exciting’.
Not everybody has been on board with the Wrexham story since McElhenney and Reynolds paid £2million to purchase Wrexham.
Weaver is a fan though, suggesting that the publicity around Wrexham has helped build the reputation of lower league football.
Weaver said that he has ‘only positives’ to say about McElhenney and Reynolds, believing they have helped Wrexham grow and develop both on and off the pitch.
“I find the Wrexham journey exciting. It’s certainly raised the profile of non-League, League Two and now, this season, League One. We’re all performers, at the end of the day, and want to be on the stage,” said Weaver.
“There are only positives I can say about the Wrexham journey under Hollywood ownership. Not just on the pitch and at their ground — where last season for our goalless draw (in League Two), it had been really smartened up with the new stand behind the goal and so on — but also the community…
“Now, they are heavyweights of League One. Just shows the rise they have been on, But, the bigger they are, the bigger the challenge and the bigger the moment for who beats them,” he added.
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Wrexham must hit back in tricky November run
Wrexham just weren’t good enough against Harrogate and must make sure that one poor result in the FA Cup doesn’t derail a strong League One campaign so far.
Parkinson will be keen to get Wrexham back on track quickly and that starts with a clash against Mansfield Town this coming weekend.
Nigel Clough’s side have started the League One campaign brilliantly and sit just one point behind Wrexham after both went up from League Two.
Wrexham then travel to 10th-placed Stockport County, reigniting the rivalry the two sides have built up in recent years.
A home double-header follows as Wrexham host 11th-placed Exeter City and then Lincoln City, who sit fifth.
Wrexham play four of the top 11 in the coming weeks and this is a real test of this squad and how they can hit back after losing to Harrogate.
Parkinson will back himself and his players to respond correctly but a testing month awaits for Wrexham after starting with defeat on Sunday.