Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has praised Jacob Mendy after his performance in Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of Accrington Stanley.
Wrexham had to come up with a big performance on Saturday afternoon, having turned in a few disappointing displays of late.
An upturn was not only needed but expected and Wrexham certainly delivered with a blistering first-half showing.
Paul Mullin’s hat-trick stole the show before Mullin then set up Elliot Lee for number four.
This was a thumping win for Wrexham and exactly what Phil Parkinson needed after a tricky week.
We saw Ollie Palmer and Paul Mullin excel together in the Wrexham attack, but it was Jacob Mendy who caught Parkinson’s eye…
Phil Parkinson on Jacob Mendy
Mendy featured as Wrexham’s left wing back against Accrington with James McClean again moving into midfield.
The 27-year-old has been in and out of the side this season, starting 17 league games and coming off the bench in another nine.
Mendy wasn’t used against Forest Green Rovers in midweek, staying as an unused substitute.
Parkinson brought Mendy back in against Accrington though and he turned in a strong performance up the left flank.
Parkinson told Wrexham’s YouTube channel that he felt Mendy turned in one of his very best performances of the season so far.
The Wrexham boss added that Mendy was ‘physical’ and ‘dangerous’, adding that he loves seeing him attack with real intent in the final third.
“Jacob came back into the team, I thought Jacob played one of his best performances of the season,” said Parkinson. “He was physical, he was dangerous, I like it when he looks dangerous in that final third and takes people on. He got crosses in the box, so really pleased with him,” he added.
The Gambian has been through quite the journey to reach this point.
Mendy moved from The Gambia to Spain and then to England, working in waste management, cleaning and even construction whilst chasing his football dreams.
Mendy started making way up through the non-league system with Redhill, Carshalton Athletic and Wealdstone before heading to Boreham Wood.
That is where Wrexham paid attention to Mendy and ended up signing him in 2022 for an undisclosed fee.
Mendy continues to make an impact for Wrexham and he may well be dreaming of reaching the third tier of English football every soon – something he can’t have even imagined just a few years ago.