Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson disclosed that his team was affected by a sickness bug leading up to their hard-earned 2-1 victory against Portsmouth.
The Red Dragons are determined to secure a fourth consecutive promotion, and this win at Stok Cae Ras reinforced their position within the Championship’s top six.
Sam Smith, who kicked off the scoring with a superb header, was among those struggling with illness and was unable to finish the match.
“Our energy levels weren’t quite where we needed them to be,” said Parkinson. “We’ve experienced a bit of illness in the camp over the last few days, but we really came together as a team.”
“When we’re not at our best and not functioning as we prefer, we have to demonstrate a different aspect of our game, and I believe we managed to do that.”
“Sam performed really well in the first half despite battling a stomach bug and was struggling at half-time,” added Parkinson. “I told him, ‘Come on, Sam, just 15 more minutes.’ He has been fantastic for us since joining.”
“That was a classic striker’s header — a tremendous finish.”
Max Cleworth extended Wrexham’s lead with a goal from a corner kick before Portsmouth fought back in the second half.
Zak Swanson scored with a deflected attempt, but despite mounting significant pressure, the visitors were unable to equalize.
“I believed we were outstanding in the first half, really controlling the game,” Parkinson remarked. “In the second half, we couldn’t maintain the level of control we aimed for, but sometimes winning in football requires you to find a way, and we did just that.”
“We really dug deep, and this is a fantastic win for us.”