Wrexham beat Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday with Aaron James scoring the winning goal.
Phil Parkinson made wholesale changes to the Wrexham starting line-up for their EFL Trophy meeting with Crewe Alexandra in midweek.
The were no survivors from the Red Dragons’ 1-0 win over Burton Albion at the weekend, with George Dobson, Thomas O’Connor and Dan Scarr the most senior, fit players on the pitch.
Given it was very much a makeshift eleven that kicked off the game, it was not surprising to see a pretty sluggish, poor-quality start to the match.
The first 45 was especially underwhelming from both teams, with Modou Faal earning the ire of Wrexham fans for what he produced during the clash.
Paul Mullin missed another big chance vs Crewe as well, but the out-of-form striker made up for it less than a minute later.
His shot was deflected out for a corner, which he then chased down a loose ball from before setting up Aaron James for the winner in the 79th minute.
Aaron James stats from Wrexham vs Crewe
New signing Brad Foster earned praise from Wrexham fans after his stellar showing in the net against Crewe.
However, match-winner James must be given his flowers, as he was excellent at both ends of the pitch.
The centre-back is a product of Wrexham’s academy and has so far made six senior appearances for the club.
He made his league debut on October 14th, 2023, versus Salford City – four days after his first outing in the EFL Trophy.
James has now started the Red Dragons’ last three meetings in the competition this season but despite his limited experience, he did not look out of place alongside Scarr and O’Connor.
| Aaron James | Stats vs Crewe |
| Minutes | 90 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Clearances | 3 |
| Duels (won) | 9 (5) |
| Touches | 86 |
| Passing accuracy | 81% |
| Key passes | 1 |
Wrexham gem can now rival Andy Cannon after Aaron James sucess
Wrexham could now loan James in the January transfer window so he can get more senior minutes.
But there is another rising star in the club’s academy that Parkinson should look to hand more minutes to after the success of James.
The player in question is 18-year-old central midfielder, Harry Ashfield.
Ashfield is Wrexham-born and has so far notched 100 minutes of action in the EFL Trophy this season.
Though he hasn’t played much in 2024/25, Ryan Barnett compared Ashfield to Andres Iniesta last month after he shone in the win over Wolves’ U21 side.
The teenager is best utilised in a sitting midfield role and could be a long-term rival for Andy Cannon if Parkinson is willing to give him a chance after James impressed against Crewe.