This weekend, we kick off our hectic Christmas schedule of three games in six days with a trip to North Wales to face Wrexham. The clash with Phil Parkinson’s men is one of the most anticipated clashes of the season, with over 1,100 Exiles making their way to North Wales.
Graham Coughlan has plenty of decisions to make ahead of Saturday’s encounter. Will Evans returned from his brief injury against Grimsby last weekend, coming on for Matty Baker in the final ten minutes, and fans will be eager to see if he is ready to go against Wrexham.
Harry Charsley has also made several appearances off the bench in recent weeks, and is likely to get some time over the next three games, as Coughlan will look to keep things fresh over what is the busiest period of the season.
Manager’s Comments
Graham Coughlan described the clash as 'one we're looking forward to' as his men look to hunt three points in North Wales tomorrow but despite all the media attention Coughlan is certain his side will approach this game the same as they do any other clash: "The supporters have been looking for this one [fixture] since the fixtures were released. I think it'll be a very feisty, very intense game and one we are certainly looking forward to."
Coughlan also shared his excitement in playing a part of the all-welsh tie, the first time it's happened since the play-off final in 2013: "It's two teams representing their country," confirmed Coughlan.
"There is only four Welsh EFL clubs, Newport and Wrexham being two of them, so we will be going out there representing Welsh football to the best of our ability tomorrow."
You can watch Graham Coughlan's full pre-match press conference by clicking HERE.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson addressed the importance of the fixture on Saturday. Speaking to Wrexham’s official press ahead of the game, he said: "It's a Welsh derby and there's history between the two clubs. Every game for us has been like a cup final since I came to the club. This has got that extra bit of incentive. The lads are used to playing in that cup tie type of environment. In terms of the atmosphere and the occasion, I'm expecting us to handle that really well, take it in our stride and keep our run going."
Opposition Form
Wrexham are currently third in League Two, sitting on 40 points after 21 games. They come into the game in strong form, having only lost two of their last 15 league matches. Last weekend, they defeated Colchester 2-1, with an own goal from Zach Mitchell being the difference between the two sides.
Their form at home has been impressive, taking 26 points from 33 available. Their last defeat at the STōK Cae Ras was on the opening day of the season, a 5-3 loss to MK Dons.
Wrexham’s games have become known for their high-goal count and dramatic finishes, with the team scoring 35 goals this season, and conceding 20. This makes them the best attack in the division and the third worst defence, with only Colchester and Forest Green conceding more.
They will be without George Evans for the game, with the midfielder receiving a red in last week’s game against Colchester.
However, Phil Parkinson will be boosted by the return of Eoghan O'Connell and Anthony Forde last weekend, with the former returning to the starting 11 and Forde being an unused substitute.
Ticket Info
Tickets for our trip to Wrexham are sold out. There will be no ticket sales on the day of the game.
Last Time Out
Our last game against Wrexham was memorable for Newport fans. We last met in the FA Cup in 2018 at Rodney Parade, cruising to a comfortable 4-0 win against the then-National League side.
After drawing away from home, we brought the FA Cup second-round tie to Rodney Parade, where we more than made home advantage count. An early sending-off for Wrexham swung the momentum firmly in our favour.
We entered the changing rooms at half-time all square, but a rampant second-half display saw us put Wrexham to the sword in style. Goals from Padraig Amond and Jamille Matt put us in control before the 60th minute, before Carrington scored an own goal and Dan Butler fired in a spectacular late strike to make it four. You can find out more about this game in this From the Archive piece.
Head to Head
Our games with Wrexham are always emotionally charged affairs, and we have encountered them in just about every competition imaginable over the years. Factoring in the Welsh Cup, the Welsh Premier Cup, the Conference, the play-offs, the Football League, and the FA Cup, we have played each other a total of 44 times, winning 15, drawing 11, and losing 18. Our recent form against Wrexham has been strong, with the club failing to beat us in the last four attempts, including our memorable win at Wembley ten years ago.
Played for Both
A man who will get plenty of attention on Saturday afternoon is Wrexham Club Captain Ben Tozer. Tozer joined Wrexham from Cheltenham in 2021, playing a key role in the club’s promotion to the Football League.
Tozer made 62 appearances for us between 2016 and 2018, proving to be a formidable presence at the back before signing for Cheltenham Town and steering them to promotion.
Aaron Hayden is another familiar face in the Wrexham squad, with the defender spending a brief loan period on time at Rodney Parade. Other players to line up for both teams include the likes of Scott Boden and Jazzi Barnum-Bobb.