Defeated at home to Crawley at the weekend, Town get set for another tricky clash tomorrow (Tuesday) evening when they head to North Wales to face a Wrexham side gunning for promotion.
But Simon Weaver’s side travel knowing that victory could see them move back to within touching distance of the playoff positions with the final stages of the season ahead.
Our opponents
After earning promotion last season with the National League title Wrexham were amongst the favourites to secure a second successive promotion in 2023/24.
And with ten games remaining they are well placed to do so, currently sitting in third place on 66 points – and are just three points back of leaders Mansfield Town. Their season has been built on the back of a stellar home return where they have dropped just 10 points from 17 games, with their 48 goals comfortably the league’s best and comes at an average of almost three goals per game.
Earlier this season
The two sides played out a thrilling midweek clash back in late November at The Envirovent Stadium. The visitors grabbed a two-goal lead late in the first-half thanks to goals from Andy Cannon and Elliott Lee, but a goal on the stroke of half-time from Dean Cornelius reduced the arrears and Anthony O’Connor levelled just two minutes after the break.
There were chances for both sides to get a winner as the second-half progressed but ultimately both had to be content with a well-earned point.
The man in charge
Phil Parkinson is now in his third season in charge at the club, having taken over ahead of the 2021/22 season. In a 20-year managerial career Parkinson has had spells at the helm at Colchester, Hull, Charlton, Bradford, Bolton and Sunderland.
During his playing career Parkinson made over 500 appearances for the likes of Bury and Reading.
Ones to watch
Despite missing the start of the season through injury Paul Mullin has netted 15 times in just 24 starts this season, including a recent hat-trick against Accrington, and he has a strong partnership with Ollie Palmer.
Elliott Lee also has 15 goals from an attacking midfield position, adding four assists as well. Veteran Steven Fletcher arrived in late 2023 and has added eight goals.
Veteran Irish midfielder James McLean has proved a useful addition on the left-hand side whilst the club added midfielder Luke Bolton from Salford City in the January transfer window.
Ben Tozer has been a strong presence at the back, helping the club to promotion after arriving from Cheltenham Town, and Academy prospect Max Cleworth has seen plenty of minutes in recent weeks.
History
Whilst much of the focus centres on Wrexham’s recent story the club have a long history both domestically and in Europe, being the oldest club in Wales having formed back in 1864.
The club entered the Football League in 1921 as part of the Third Division North, spending the next half century in the bottom two divisions until earning promotion to Division Two at the end of the 1977/78 season.
A pair of relegations in the early 1980’s saw the club back in the bottom tier for the next decade before a promotion was secured in 1992/93. Financial problems hampered the club at the turn of the century, with the club entering administration and were ultimately relegated to the National League where they remained for 15 years before last season’s title winning season.
The club have also won the Welsh Cup a record 23 times.
Team news
Simon Weaver continues to be without Lewis Thomas, Rod McDonald, Sam Folarin and Liam Gibson.
