Wrexham’s visit to Charlton earlier on this season sparked a controversial moment that enraged Phil Parkinson.
Wrexham will face Charlton this weekend as Phil Parkinson’s side hopes to seal promotion to the Championship.
Currently sitting two points ahead of Mike Dodds’ Wycombe Wanderers, a victory would certainly put promotion into Wrexham’s hands. Parkinson’s side would have promotion confirmed if Wycombe fall to defeat away at Leyton Orient, providing that Wrexham win against an in-form Charlton Athletic side.
There have been plenty of antics in the media ahead of the clash, with Nathan Jones referring to Wrexham as a ‘circus’, which Parkinson has since hit back at.
Tensions are certainly evident between the Wrexham gaffer and this weekend’s opposition, considering Parkinson’s dismissal from Charlton 14 years ago, and such a divide was widened even further in the last meeting between the two sides, which sparked a controversial moment in the dying minutes.
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Phil Parkinson was left raging last time out against Charlton as Wrexham conceded a last-minute penalty
Last time out between the two sides, Wrexham were subject to a poor refereeing decision after the ball supposedly made contact with Max Cleworth’s hand inside the box. Charlton were handed a penalty, which was converted in the 97th minute, that limited Wrexham to just one point at The Valley.
“It’s never a penalty in a million years, Max has got his arm down by his side. If that happens 50 times, the ref might give it once,” said Parkinson following the last meeting between the two sides, via BBC Sport.
“We’re frustrated because we had the ball in the corner, we should have kept it in the corner, we know that, the lads got out.
“We’ve restricted a team to long diagonal balls against us, we’ve controlled the game and we’ve played some unbelievable football. I feel for the lads.
“The substitution referee comes on. Is he up to the job? Clearly not, because there’s only one big decision that he had to get right in the game, and he’s got it wrong.
“I just want to know how he can give that as a penalty. All of the rules I know about handball clearly state that wouldn’t be a penalty.
“His arm is in a natural position, he actually tried to pull it away. Very, very harsh.”
Phil Parkinson has the opportunity to hand Wrexham Hollywood moment
In hindsight, the decision to hand Charlton Athletic a last-second penalty in the reverse fixture has played a crucial part in how the season has panned out, and if such a decision wasn’t made, Parkinson’s side would find themselves four points ahead of Wycombe Wanderers with two to play.
Nonetheless, Wrexham are still in the driving seat in the race for League One automatic promotion, despite this weekend’s opposition being in top form under Nathan Jones, and, especially at the Racecourse Ground, Parkinson will want to make sure that his side deliver exactly what is needed.
Depending on how Wycombe’s clash with Leyton Orient pans out, it may not be enough to confirm promotion this weekend, but it could put them in prime position to return to the second for the first time since 1982.