Wrexham moved another step closer to promotion on Saturday afternoon, beating Colchester United 2-1 with a second-half comeback.
Away days have become a nervy affair for Wrexham fans.
Trips to Doncaster Rovers, Gillingham, Salford City and Newport County in 2024 have resulted in defeats for Wrexham.
Wrexham also lost on the road at Walsall, Accrington Stanley and Stockport County also ended in losses, with Wrexham’s away form not quite matching the excellence at home.
Saturday saw Wrexham make the long trip to Essex to take on Colchester United and it looked like being another difficult afternoon.
John Akinde’s opener fired the hosts in front before Paul Mullin headed home his 100th Wrexham goal, levelling it up at 1-1.
Wrexham turned the game on its head with an unexpected winner as Max Cleworth bagged the first goal of his career, handing Wrexham a 2-1 win.
Phil Parkinson on Elliot Lee
Wrexham are ticking off the games now and Saturday’s victory just brings promotion to League One that much closer.
A response after defeat at Doncaster Rovers was paramount and Wrexham did just that – but did so without Elliot Lee in the starting lineup.
Lee was recently nominated for League Two Player of the Year but we did suggest that he was due a rest ahead of the Colchester clash.
Lee has looked tired of late and Phil Parkinson seemingly agreed, leaving him on the bench for the trip to face their former club Colchester.
Jacob Mendy came in at left wing back with James McClean featuring in midfield – but Lee’s rest didn’t last too long.
Mendy could only last just over half an hour, meaning Lee came on and McClean moved to wing back once again.
Parkinson has now told Wrexham’s official YouTube channel that he left Lee out for ‘a little bit of freshness’, believing that a rest would help him ahead of some key home games.
Parkinson was forced to bring Lee on though and felt that he was simply ‘brilliant’ against Colchester.
“Just a little bit of freshness really,” said Parkinson. “Elliot, in particular, I thought he was brilliant when he came on, I really did. I just felt he kind of needed a bit of freshening up with the two home games coming ahead for us, he’s such an important player for us,” he added.
Midfield surely a focus this summer
Lee is an outstanding attacking midfield player at his best, racking up 15 goals from 42 League Two games this season.
The 29-year-old is so vital that only three of those appearances came off the bench; if he’s available, he plays.
Lee’s slight dip in form – two goals in his last 22 games across all competitions – means Wrexham must bring in another attacking midfield player this summer.
The former West Ham United talent needs competition and having somebody who can give him something of a rest next season and beyond would be very valuable.
Much will depend on Wrexham’s promotion fate but we would love to see another goalscoring or creative midfield player arrive this summer, easing the burden on Lee in the process.