23 shots, one on target: Parkinson laments lack of quality as Wrexham fall at Ewood Park
Sunday 25 October 2026 · By Joe Fletcher
Phil Parkinson did not need to look far for the reason behind Wrexham’s 2–0 defeat at Blackburn on Saturday. His side had 23 attempts at goal at Ewood Park, but only one of them hit the target.
“We’ve had 23 attempts but to only have one of those on target, we have to look at that,” the Wrexham manager said, according to PA. “We just didn’t produce the quality.”
It was a frustrating afternoon. Wrexham had spells of pressure, with Kieffer Moore and Callum O’Hare both seeing shots blocked in the first half, and Sam Smith heading wide from a good position after the break when the score was only 1–0. Joe Worrall also went close from inside the area. But Blackburn were clinical when it mattered. Andri Gudjohnsen scored a minute before half-time, sweeping in a rebound after goalkeeper Anthony Patterson parried Sam Morsy’s shot, and added a second 11 minutes from time.
Patterson did make some important saves, including one from Dapo Afolayan early in the second half. But the bigger issue for Parkinson is at the other end. Creating chances has not been the problem. Turning them into goals has.
The result is Wrexham’s second defeat in three league games, and they are now without a win in four away from home. The form guide reads LWDLWL, and they have slipped to 17th on 14 points, level with Cardiff, Bolton and Charlton. They are only one point behind Millwall, Bristol City and Lincoln, but also six points clear of the relegation zone, so the margins are tight in both directions.
The injury list does not help. According to the BBC, Ben Sheaf is back in full training, which is a boost in midfield. But Thomason and Cleworth are only in partial training and are unlikely to feature before the November international break. Windass is in a protective boot with an ankle problem, Broadhead has a thigh injury, and Cacace is out with a calf problem.
That leaves Parkinson with limited options as he looks for a way to sharpen up in attack. The return of Sheaf could help Wrexham control games, but the absence of Windass and Broadhead takes away two players who can provide a cutting edge in the final third.
There is no midweek game this week, so Wrexham have a full week to work on their finishing before the opening game of Matchday 13. They travel to Sheffield United on Friday 30 October (20:00 GMT, live on Sky Sports), the first Championship game since the clocks went back.
Chris Wilder’s Blades are 12th, two points ahead of Wrexham, and were held 1–1 by 10-man Derby on Saturday. They may also be without Patrick Bamford, who was injured as he scored their equaliser, while forward Ryan One missed Saturday’s game with a hamstring setback.
A Friday night game under the lights at Bramall Lane is a big occasion, and it offers Wrexham the chance to put things right quickly in front of a television audience. If they can create the same number of chances, they will just need to be more accurate. Parkinson will be hoping a week on the training ground makes the difference.
The Racecourse Ground on Mold Road is the oldest international football stadium still in use. Wrexham have played here since 1864. Visiting supporters usually find a compact, traditional four-sided ground rather than a bowl: two long stands along the touchlines and a stand behind each goal. Capacity for football is around 10,700–12,600 depending on how the Kop end is configured while the new stand is built.
Away fans are almost always placed in the University End section of the Wrexham Lager Stand (the two-tier main stand on the north side of the pitch). Enter through turnstiles 1–4 at the rear of that stand. Check your ticket: home supporters in the same stand use different gates. A few pillars between the tiers can clip the view, so if you care about sightlines avoid seats directly behind a column. Alcohol is sold outside the away area as well as on the concourse.
The STōK Cold Brew Coffee Stand (still called the Tech End or University End by locals) sits behind the west goal. It holds about 3,000 and is where much of the home noise now lives. The opposite goal, at the Crispin Lane / Town End, is The Kop. The old terrace has gone; a temporary stand has been used while Populous designs a new Kop of several thousand, with safe standing planned. Family seating is in the Mold Road Stand nearest the Kop corner. The Mold Road (Macron) Stand itself is the 1999 lottery-funded stand along the south touchline, with boxes, the TV gantry and The Changing Rooms restaurant.
Postcode for sat-nav is LL11 2AH. From the A483 take the Mold junction and follow town-centre signs; the ground appears quickly on Mold Road. Wrexham General station is about a third of a mile away — walk towards the multi-storey car park, turn onto Mold Road and you will cross the railway before the stands come into view. Matchday parking near the ground is tight; allow extra time. The Turf Hotel on Mold Road, in the shadow of the Macron Stand, is the historic pub where the club was founded and is the obvious pre-match stop if you arrive early.
The stadium is cashless. Bags should be A4-size or smaller and will be searched. Food and drink cannot be brought in. Kiosks sit under the stands; Jonesy’s Bar is in the University End. Stewards are used to travelling support and the atmosphere is generally good-humoured, though the home end will be loud if Wrexham are chasing a result. Flag space is limited and anything political or commercial will be turned away.
For a first visit, give yourself twenty minutes after arriving to walk the Mold Road frontage and clock which gate is yours. The pitch is 102 m by 68 m with the goals immediately in front of the Kop and STōK stands as shown above. Dress for North Wales weather: the temporary Kop end can be exposed. If you want the best all-round view rather than the away pocket, the central Mold Road seats are the ones locals recommend — but on an away ticket you will be in the Lager Stand wing, looking across at the Macron roof and down towards whichever goal Wrexham are attacking in that half.