Wrexham

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Bristol Rovers have sacked manager Matt Taylor prior to their League One fixture with Wrexham on Saturday.

Rovers have lost three league matches in succession, failing to score a single goal in that period.

They sit 20th ahead of the visit of Wrexham at the weekend - just two points above the relegation zone.

And the club confirmed on Monday morning that they have relieved Taylor and assistant manager Wayne Carlisle of their first team duties.

A club statement read: "The club would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Matt and Wayne for all their hard work during their time with Bristol Rovers, and we wish them both every success in their respective future careers.

"David Horseman and Lee Cattermole will take interim responsibility for first-team football duties while the club undertakes a thorough recruitment process for a new first-team manager."

Bristol Rovers' match against Wrexham at The Memorial Stadium gets underway at 12:30 GMT on Saturday.

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Wrexham will discover their EFL Trophy last-16 opponents when the draw is held on Saturday morning.

Wrexham made it through the round of 32 thanks to a 1-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday, courtesy of Aaron James' late header.

The Dragons are ball number seven in the north section of the draw, which will be shown live on Sky Sports at approximately 11:50 GMT.

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Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson and defender Max Cleworth have been nominated for the League One manager and player of month awards for November.

Parkinson, who was manager of the month in August, has been nominated again after three league wins in four games.

The Dragons, who are second in the table, beat Mansfield Town, Exeter City and Lincoln City in November.

Parkinson, who was appointed in July 2021, has led Wrexham to back-to-back promotions which have seen them rise from the National League to English football's third tier, where they last played 19 years ago.

Cleworth has been influential in a Wrexham defence which conceded only one league goal in November.

The 22-year-old also scored twice last month, in the league against Exeter and in the EFL Trophy against Port Vale, and is now Wrexham's joint top goalscorer this season with five goals.

The award winners will be announced on Friday, 13 December.

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Aaron James' late header saw Wrexham knock out visitors Crewe Alexandra in the EFL Trophy round of 32.

Mo Faal was the first to test a goalkeeper with a powerful effort from distance that was fielded by Crewe's Filip Marschall.

But opposite number Brad Foster, playing his first game at the Stok Racecourse, was soon in action to save a fierce volley from Kian Breckin and later did well to deny Adrien Thibaut.

Crewe, a division below their hosts from League One, continued to push after the break and Foster again had to be on his mettle to save smartly from Fin Roberts and then Owen Lunt.

But with a penalty shoot-out looming, Wrexham snatched victory when Aaron James powered home a header - his first for the Dragons - after latching onto Paul Mullin's cross.

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Elliot Lee says grinding out a win in awful conditions at Burton Albion showed how together Wrexham are as a squad as they aim to keep their "brilliant" season going with league and cup games at home this week.

Phil Parkinson's side face Crewe in the EFL Trophy tonight (19:30 GMT kick-off) before hosting Cambridge United in League One on Saturday.

They could potentially move three points clear at the top after going level with leaders Wycombe thanks to Lee's goal direct from a corner.

When asked if he felt he could score from a corner, Lee responded: "Yes, I think there was a corner just before that one - or two before it - that just went over the bar.

"We work on set pieces with Parky (Parkinson) and sometimes we're given licence to shoot.

"With all the wind, he told us to shoot for goal because even if it goes onto the keeper, all the lads are steaming in and it's hard for the keeper.

"So it was a shot on goal and luckily for me it's gone in at the far post."

Lee's fifth goal of the season was enough to give Wrexham their fourth successive win and fourth clean sheet in a row.

"It shows how together we all are from top to bottom," he said.

"There's a strong bond between the lads and the staff. No matter where we go, no matter the conditions we can grind out wins, keep clean sheets and we've got the quality to score goals at the other end.

"It's been an unbelievable effort from the boys. We're doing brilliantly and we're not even halfway through the season.

"There's still a lot of work to be done. We'll keep doing what we're doing and see where it takes us."

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Wrexham's English Football League (EFL) Trophy contest with Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night will go ahead as scheduled after the Stok Racecourse was impacted by Storm Darragh.

A section of the roof of the stadium's Macron Stand was damaged due to strong winds in the region on Saturday.

Mold Road - located next to the stadium - was closed for safety purposes, although the club have confirmed their second round cup tie on Tuesday is unaffected.

A club statement read: "Work has been ongoing to clear up after Storm Darragh and we can confirm there is no risk to tomorrow's match at home to Crewe Alex."

Phil Parkinson's side topped their group to progress into the second round having secured wins over Wolves Under-21s and Salford City.

Their only loss came on penalties against Port Vale after a 1-1 draw in regular time.

Kick-off against Crewe is at 19:30 GMT.

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Iwan Roberts feels Wrexham's ability to grind out results has been pivotal to why they are "absolutely flying" in League One.

Elliot Lee scored the only goal of the match directly from a corner as Phil Parkinson's side secured a fourth successive win by beating Burton Albion 1-0 on Saturday.

And while Roberts feels Wrexham's win at Burton should have been less nervy, the ex-Wales forward says their ability to shutout opponents was vital in what were testing conditions at the Pirelli Stadium.

"It should have been a more comfortable win," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"But they're absolutely flying. It was their fourth consecutive win without conceding, it's 12 clean sheets in 19 games for Wrexham.

"They've closed the gap to Wycombe with Birmingham just behind them.

"It was just a case of getting the job done on Saturday and that's what happened.

"Four of their last five wins have been by the same scoreline, by 1-0, so they know how to grind it out and get these important results in difficult circumstances."

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Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson hailed matchwinner Elliot Lee following Wrexham's 1-0 win at Burton Albion.

Lee scored direct from a corner in the second half, his fifth goal of the season and his first in 10 games.

"I'm pleased for Ell, I thought Ell was brilliant today," Parkinson said.

"He worked tirelessly for the team. He absolutely worked so hard for us.

"I'm pleased for him to get the headlines."

Wrexham's fourth consecutive win and leaders Wycombe Wanderers' draw against Reading moves them level on points at the top of the table.

Wrexham have signed goalkeeper Brad Foster on a short-term contract.

Foster has previously been on the books of Stoke City, Derby County and West Brom and had a loan spell with Rushall Olympic.

With Arthur Okonkwo and Callum Burton both injured, Foster has been added to Wrexham's bench for Saturday's trip to Burton Albion with veteran Mark Howard starting.

"He's been training with us for a couple of weeks helping us on the training ground because we're short and during the training week we need goalkeepers to do the shooting practices," manager Phil Parkinson said.

"He's been working with us and is a bit older and a bit more experienced than Liam Hall.

"We'd still like to bring in another keeper – the EFL rules are not very favourable and very complicated.

"I don't agree with them because when you look at it Arthur's broken his wrist, we've got Callum with a torn thigh and Luke McNicholas is injured as well.

"If that's not exceptional circumstances then I don't know what it. I think the EFL will have to have a very close look at their rules.

"But we'll get on to that tomorrow and try and get a solution to get us through to January."

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Eoghan O'Connell says Wrexham's supreme defensive record is a result of the "ethos" within Phil Parkinson's squad.

Wrexham head to Burton Albion on Saturday having kept four clean sheets in their last five League One outings.

Parkinson's men have conceded only 11 goals in 18 league games this season, meaning they have meanest defence on the third tier.

"That gives the team a good base to build from," said centre-back O'Connell.

"We work really well together. We have had some changes at the back and in goal, but it just shows the ethos of the team - we want to do it for each other, we want to defend, we want to run.

"I think the clean sheets are a mark of that for everyone."

Second-placed Wrexham are just a point clear of Birmingham City, who have two games in hand in third, meaning the pressure is on to maintain their good form against struggling Burton.

The Dragons' latest triumph came against Barnsley on Tuesday, when Ollie Rathbone struck the only goal in stoppage time to secure a third successive win.

"Against a team like Barnsley, a big club who have been in the Championship and have very high-level players at this level, to perform like we did and find a way to win is massive," added former Charlton Athletic player O'Connell.

"It's good confidence for us and we move on to Burton. We never take a game for granted. We will prepare the same as usual and go and try to put our stamp on the game."

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Ollie Rathbone says the pressure will be on Wrexham to deliver at Burton Albion on Saturday – but insists Phil Parkinson's players wouldn’t have it any other way.

Wrexham, who are second in League One, head to Burton in fine form having won three straight games at the Stok Racecourse.

Fresh from his midweek winner against Barnsley, midfielder Rathbone reckons second-from-bottom Burton will face Wrexham in relaxed mood despite their worrying league position.

"All the pressure is on us," Rathbone said. "They will see it as a bit of a free hit probably which can be dangerous.

"That pressure is part of the attraction of playing for this club - it's an honour to have it.

"I think a lot of players at mid-table clubs would do anything to be trying to compete for promotion and be second in the league in December."

Burton head into the Wrexham game on the back of a morale-boosting victory at Peterborough United on Wednesday which lifted them off the bottom of the table.

The Brewers have been without a permanent boss since the sacking of Mark Robinson last month, with Tom Hounsell in interim charge.

Former Rotherham player Rathbone says Burton will be buoyed by the arrival of promotion-chasing Wrexham at the Pirelli Stadium.

"I have played for teams who have been at the bottom of the league," he added.

"When teams at the top of the league come to town it sometimes can be easier. You feel like you can go and have a good go it."

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Phil Parkinson says Wrexham's "humble" fans will have a part to play if his team are to climb to the Championship.

Wrexham return to action against fellow League One promotion hopefuls Barnsley on Tuesday.

It is a third successive home fixture for the second-placed Dragons, who have taken 25 points from nine games on their own patch so far this season.

Parkinson, who is looking to guide Wrexham to a third straight promotion, believes the attitude of the club's fans can help the cause.

"The supporters play a huge part at home," said the Wrexham boss.

"I think they are humble. They don’t take that we are going to win for granted, they come with a feeling that 'we have got to do our bit for the lads' because sometimes it doesn’t go all your way, teams come and make a difficult.

"This place will be bouncing on Tuesday night against Barnsley. It's a big club coming to town."

Wrexham's FA Cup first-round exit meant they had the weekend off, and gave Parkinson a clear week to prepare for Barnsley after last Tuesday's hard-fought win over Lincoln City.

The Tykes, who are currently sixth, have reached the League One play-offs in each of the last two seasons having been relegated from the Championship in 2022.

Parkinson says Wrexham's attitude has been key to their successes to date this season – and that more of the same is required if they are to reach the second tier.

"As a group we have a relentlessness about us and we have to keep that going because if you want to be at the top of a division, you have to be relentless," he said.

"Barnsley have been play-offs last couple of years, been up in the Championship, but they are the tests we want."

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Wrexham will break new ground when they take on Barnsley on Tuesday with a trailblazing new fan experience – 5,000 miles away from the Racecourse.

The League One game against the Tykes is set to see another bumper crowd in north Wales as Phil Parkinson’s side look to continue their impressive League One home form.

But it will also see fans – including co-chairman Rob McElhenney - flock to a new ‘shared reality’ experience in Los Angeles to watch the game in a way far beyond watching from the local pub.

The fixture is the first EFL game to be screened at Cosm with it is 180 degree domed screen – 87 foot in diameter - that makes viewers feel as if they are pitchside.

Images from fans watching Manchester United in Premier League action on the immersive technology that simulates being at the ground went viral on social media earlier in the season.

And with baseball and NFL games having also been popular, Wrexham have been handpicked as the first from the EFL to be given the hi-tech treatment.

The EFL have backed the plans that sees "several discreet 8K cameras" placed around the Racecourse "to capture all angles, with no interruption to the regular production output."

It explains that that footage is then "stitched together to create the unique wide-angle effect that recreates being in the ground itself."

McElhenney promoted the event for the game against Barnsley, with his co-stars from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia also due to attend for the game that kicks-off at 19.45 GMT but 11.45 on America’s west coast.

US Wrexham fans will pay $11 for access at the venue that is close to the Los Angeles Rams' SoFi Stadium, one of the grounds that will be used at the 2026 World Cup.

It is the first of six EFL games that have been given permission to be screened in this way, with Wrexham’s ‘Hollywood derby’ against Tom Brady-backed Birmingham City on 23 January and the clash at Huddersfield Town on 4 March also selected.

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Wrexham make their Racecourse return tonight – where their form puts even the Premier League’s best in the shade.

And that includes top-flight leaders Liverpool, with Anfield’s Kop not seeing as much success this term as the temporary Kop at the historic north Wales ground.

Phil Parkinson’s side welcome Barnsley in League One having rested up over the weekend due to their early FA Cup exit.

Second in the table, they will be looking to make it three wins in a row after recent triumphs over Exeter and Lincoln.

But Wrexham will also be looking to continue their impressive run in front of their own fans that sees the Hollywood-backed club boasting the best home record in the Premier League and the EFL.

They are one of only nine sides across the top four divisions to still be unbeaten at home, a collection that includes Arsenal, Brighton and League One rivals Birmingham.

And despite their impressive start to life under Arne Slot, even Liverpool trail Wrexham’s home form after losing to Nottingham Forest back in September.

From their nine home league games this season, the Red Dragons have delivered 25 points, with only the goalless draw with Huddersfield denying them a maximum return.

Across the top four divisions, only Sheffield United’s Championship record at Bramall Lane is on a par with the Blades also having collected eight wins and one draw from their nine games.

But Wrexham fans have seen more goals, with Parkinson’s side scoring 20 at home compared to the 14 from Chris Wilder’s men.

Brentford’s weekend win over Leicester sees them top the Premier League home table, with 19 points from seven games. It’s an eye-catching 2.71 points per game so far, slightly behind Wrexham’s 2.77 ppg.

Wrexham’s form at home is nothing new; although they lost three league games at the Racecourse on their return to the EFL last season, it is still just four league defeats on the Mold Road over the last four campaigns.