Phil Parkinson praised the tenacity of his Wrexham squad following their impressive 5-3 victory over Ipswich, although he expressed frustration after a missed penalty decision.
After leading twice in the first half, Wrexham found themselves down 3-2 early in the second half at Stok Cae Ras, but they rallied with three goals in the last 24 minutes to reclaim a playoff position in the Championship.
This victory followed a tough week for Parkinson’s side, which included a FA Cup win against Ipswich and a draw against Bristol City.
Parkinson remarked: “We played Bristol on Tuesday, and they were fresh having not played over the weekend. Ipswich also didn’t have a midweek match and made significant changes from the previous game.”
“The sheer effort and determination displayed by our players today is something our supporters should take pride in. At half-time, I told the team not to let the goal affect their mindset. I felt we were a bit unlucky not to be ahead before their centre-back scored to make it 3-2.”
“I believe a lesser group might have let fatigue set in, but we responded brilliantly, showcasing tremendous character.”
Ipswich managed to equalize twice in the first half, thanks to goals from Anis Mehmeti and Ivan Azon, which nullified strikes by Kieffer Moore and Josh Windass. Cedric Kipre then put Ipswich ahead shortly after half-time with a fantastic goal.
Wrexham drew level again in the 66th minute with George Thomason’s first goal for the club, and they sealed the game with additional goals from Callum Doyle and Nathan Broadhead.
Just before Thomason’s equalizer, Wrexham sought a penalty when Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton appeared to punch Doyle’s head instead of the ball during a corner kick, but referee Leigh Doughty awarded a goal-kick instead.
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“I have never seen a clearer case for a penalty,” Parkinson stated. “Doyle was lucky he wasn’t knocked out entirely; it was a completely reckless challenge. I spoke with the referee afterward, but I cannot understand how neither he nor the linesman saw that as a penalty.”
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna expressed his disappointment at the team’s defensive lapses. “I’m frustrated with the outcome and with ourselves. We scored three excellent goals away from home, which should typically secure you a win, but we conceded some poor goals due to mistakes and our clinical finishing from Wrexham,” he said. “It’s disheartening because today had the potential to be a very positive day for us.”