Wrexham can maintain their place in the top three of League Two when they host Newport County on Saturday at the Racecourse Ground in their final home fixture of 2023.
An own goal 21 minutes from the end last weekend enabled the Robins to remain in third place, defeating Colchester United 2-1, while the Port are 17th, playing to a 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town.
Match preview
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They have not made it easy on themselves lately, but Wrexham got themselves back in the win column last Saturday, maintaining a narrow one-point advantage over Mansfield Town in the race for that final automatic promotional place into League One.
The Racecourse Ground has been very good to them throughout the League Two campaign, with the Welsh side suffering just one domestic defeat there all season, winning five consecutive matches played there in this competition by a combined score of 15-5.
Scoring goals has never been a problem for Phil Parkinson's men, who have netted the second-most in the league this season (44), including three or more in seven domestic home fixtures.
No one has been able to keep the Red Dragons off the scoresheet on their home field in League Two this season, while Wrexham have not been behind domestically at the Racecourse Ground since erasing a two-goal deficit to defeat Salford City in October (3-2).
Defeating Wrexham requires you to get an early advantage against them, with two of their three League Two defeats this season coming when they were behind at the half while being held scoreless in their other loss versus Accrington Stanley (2-0).
Saturday will be the first time they face Newport County in League Two, with Wrexham failing to score in three of their last four home matches in all competitions against them, last beating them 2-0 during the 2012-13 National League campaign.
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Last weekend was another missed opportunity for the club from Southern Wales, who drew first blood for the second successive time in this competition but failed to claim three points yet again.
It was the third time this season that they failed to win a domestic encounter when scoring first, two of which have occurred on their home field.
The Exiles have looked particularly susceptible defensively away from home throughout this domestic campaign, conceding multiple goals in eight encounters, including three or more on four occasions.
Their last two domestic triumphs away from home came against teams in the top half of the table (Gillingham and Morecambe), though eight of their 10 defeats this season have come as the visiting team.
In his first full season as manager, Graham Coughlan has seen his side come back to earn five points when behind at the half while claiming 10 points after conceding the opening goal.
That fighting spirit has kept them out of relegation danger, currently 11 points above that line, though they have played two more games than Forest Green Rovers.
Team News
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Eoghan O'Connell was back in the Wrexham fold last Saturday, playing 80 minutes against Colchester United before being replaced by Will Boyle, while George Evans will be suspended for this match following his straight red card 26 minutes into that encounter.
Elliot Lee scored his team-leading 12th goal of the campaign to put his side in front before an own goal courtesy of Zach Mitchell doubled their advantage, while the visitors added a consolation strike in the latter stages.
We saw one new face in the Newport County starting 11 from matchday 21 to 22 in this competition, with Scot Bennett replacing leading goalscorer Will Evans in the midfield.
Omar Bogle has two goals in his last two competitive fixtures, notching the only strike in their draw versus Grimsby Town, while he, Lewis Payne and Seb Palmer-Houlden each netted in a 4-1 FA Cup triumph over Barnet, while they also got an own-goal from Danny Collinge.
Wrexham possible starting lineup:
Howard; Mendy, Boyle, Tozer, O'Connor, McClean; Cannon, Davies, Lee; Palmer, Mullin
Newport County possible starting lineup:
Townsend; Baker, Clarke, Delaney; Payne, Bennett, Morris, McLoughlin; Palmer-Houlden, Charsley; Bogle
We say: Wrexham 3-1 Newport County
The Wrexham style often leaves them vulnerable at the back, but there is so much depth in the attack that we believe they will once again find a way to counteract that flaw against Newport.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
