Wrexham were held to a goalless draw by Harrogate Town explain the Wrexham Boss Job under Supervision as Sack notice was discussed
PHIL PARKINSON couldn’t fault his players’ effort after Wrexham were held to a goalless draw by Harrogate Town at The Racecourse.
PARKINSON admits his side took time to get going after the early set-back against Morecambe but the Reds’ boss felt his players got better and better as the game wore on and deserved their victory at The Mazuma Stadium.
Wrexham maintained their promotion challenge by beating the Shrimps 3-1 to stay third in League Two, three points behind leaders Mansfield Town and on the same tally as second placed Stockport County, and two ahead of MK Dons who sit fourth.
Play-off contenders Morecambe took a fourth minute lead and Wrexham struggled to get a foothold in the game but James McClean equalised and the visitors enjoyed a strong finish to the first half.
After the home side were reduced to 10 men early in the second period, Paul Mullin put Wrexham ahead and Steven Fletcher’s late goal secured three points.
“Morecambe are a team on form, I think they got 20 points from their last 10 games and fancied their chances of getting in the play-offs,” said Parkinson.
“The start we had is going to knock anybody and it took us a little while to get going.
“We should have had a penalty when James McClean was brought down in the box – it was one of the clearest penalties you are ever likely to see.
“But it was a great goal, Mulls has preyed on the defender’s mistake and squared it, and James’ athleticism to join in was brilliant to get us back in the game.
“It just gave us a lift. We needed it and we looked like we would go and get another goal.
“We had the conditions in our favour in the first half and we stepped onto them really well in that last 20 minutes, but we kept the momentum going in the second period.”
Max Melbourne was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Ollie Palmer just four minutes after the break and top scorer Mullin quickly made it 2-1 from the penalty spot after Elliot Lee’s shot was handled in the area by David Tutonda, bagging his 17th goal of the season.
Substitute Fletcher made sure of the points with a late header to leave Wrexham well placed with 10 matches remaining in the quest for a second successive promotion.
Parkinson was delighted with the performance following the tricky start.
“Morecambe are a team who sit off the ball and look to counter-attack teams,” he added. “Going down to 10 men, it just made them drop that little bit deeper.
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“Then we got the penalty which the referee has got absolutely no choice but to give that; I don’t know what the lad was doing and Mulls has stuck it away.
“As the second half wore on we got better and better, we were really positive in everything we did and Fletch came on and sealed the game for us.
“I was very pleased with everything about the display.”
