Wrexham enjoy a rare weekend off on Saturday, with Phil Parkinson’s side already out of the FA Cup and without a League One fixture to contend with.
Wrexham lost to Harrogate Town in the first round of the FA Cup, a disappointing result but one that has given them a precious break in the hunt for League One promotion.
There may be a tinge of disappointment in the break for Parkinson as he is unable to build upon the momentum of Wrexham’s victory over Lincoln City, which left his side in the automatic promotion places on the back of consecutive wins.
Parkinson praised Ollie Rathbone after the Lincoln win, with the emerging form of his summer signing emphasising the level of drive behind Wrexham’s promotion charge currently.
This drive will be crucial if Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are to deliver another promotion to the Racecourse Ground, a target Parkinson believes his side has the perfect characteristic to help achieve.
Phil Parkinson on Wrexham’s ability to win in different ways
Speaking to The Leader, Parkinson praised his side’s crucial ability to find ways to victory, a characteristic of all ‘top’ sides.
He said: “I always say to the lads that to be at the top of the National League, League Two, or League One where we are at the moment, you have got to be able to win all types of games. They are the teams that finish at the top.
“Whether it is a team dropping at a low block or they are pressing you high, it is a physical second ball game or it’s a football game, you have got to find a way and at the moment we are doing that.”
The Red Dragons’ last two games have been clear evidence of this ability that Parkinson describes. In Wrexham’s 3-0 win over Exeter City, set-pieces and crosses were key to their success, whereas a strong defensive performance was required to hold on to victory against Lincoln on Tuesday.
Even more evidence can be found in Wrexham’s push for League Two promotion last season, where the Red Dragons squad showed various ways to win.
Wrexham showed their winning skill to earn League Two promotion
After a somewhat inconsistent February that included three defeats, Parkinson must’ve been feeling the pressure to secure promotion to League One.
The task looked even harder when April began with a 1-0 defeat to Doncaster Rovers, but nerves were calmed when Wrexham beat Colchester after being a goal behind, thanks to strikes from Paul Mullin and Max Cleworth.
Pundits and fans alike may have expected Wrexham to continue to look nervous after this, but Parkinson’s side once again showed a different way to win.
A 4-1 win over Crawley Town was followed up by Wrexham’s 6-0 demolition of Forest Green Rovers, which sealed promotion from League Two in the most emphatic fashion.
Now in a higher division, the promotion run-in promises to be even harder for Parkinson and Wrexham. However, if they can produce gritty performances like the Colchester win, alongside emphatic wins like the Forest Green result, should go a long way to helping the Red Dragons.