A lot has changed since Wrexham beat Reading earlier this season, but the Red Dragons’ next opponents can still take a valuable lesson from that defeat.
With 11 games to go, Wrexham are now level on points with Wycombe Wanderers in the League One table and have a fantastic opportunity to leapfrog them this week.
First up is a trip to Reading on Tuesday night, before Phil Parkinson’s men take on Wycombe next weekend in a promotion six-pointer.
After a gritty and impressive performance from the Wrexham players this weekend in the 1-0 win over Rotherham United, attention turns to the Reading clash. And with it, Wrexham must be aware that Noel Hunt has some good advice to follow ahead of the upcoming game.
Wrexham overwhelmed Reading last time out
Hunt took over from Ruben Selles back in December after the former Reading boss took the top job at Hull City, but the new manager must surely be looking back at Wrexham’s 3-0 win in the reverse fixture for pointers on how to approach Tuesday’s game.
And, he need look no further than Selles’ analysis of the defeat at the time for information as to where Reading went wrong.
Speaking to the Reading FC website back in August after that crushing defeat, then-manager Ruben Selles outlined how his team fell apart against the Red Dragons.
“It was a difficult afternoon. The way we came into the game and in the first 20 minutes I think we showed what we are and the character. I think we missed something in the final third, I need to review it.
“The goal came out of an action we should defend better, and the second goal came so quickly that it put us out of the game for a little bit. A game like today will happen.
“We tried in the second half, but we conceded the third goal. We need to learn the situations. Sometimes it’s difficult and those games are going to come. The boys put in absolutely everything.”
Selles played up the aura surrounding the Racecourse Ground, and highlighted Wrexham’s key strengths from the victory.
He added: “It is a difficult place [to come], they have a clear style of play and maximise their situations. We need to take the information from today and be prepared for the next game.”
Wrexham have the belief to go up now
Wrexham go into the game on Tuesday full of confidence, and if there’s one thing we learned from the win against Rotherham, it’s that the fanbase fully believe the Red Dragons are on their way to promotion now.
Only goal difference separates Wrexham and Wycombe now, and with momentum swinging in favour of Parkinson’s side, there’s hope that a third-successive promotion could genuinely be on the cards.
| Pos | Team | Played | W | D | L | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham City | 34 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 34 | 79 |
| 2 | Wycombe Wanderers | 35 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 28 | 68 |
| 3 | Wrexham | 35 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 68 |
| 4 | Stockport County | 36 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 18 | 62 |
Getting past Reading will be a tough test and the absolute priority right now, but there’s no denying that the trip to Wycombe in a week’s time will be in the back of everyone’s mind.
Even Rotherham manager Steve Evans believes Wrexham will go up now, but it’s up to the players and the staff to get this over the line in what could be a monumental week for the club.