Wrexham

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Former Wales midfielder Barry Horne felt Wrexham looked like a "class act" during their 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic.

Josh Windass netted the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the 77th minute as Phil Parkinson's men earned a third successive home league win at the Stok Cae Ras.

And Horne - who spent three seasons as a player with Wrexham in the mid-1980s - felt the Red Dragons fully deserved to clinch all three points against the Addicks.

"Wrexham completely and utterly deserved to win the game," Horne said on BBC Radio Wales Sport.

"The first half was fairly even, Charlton had probably the best two chances but Wrexham dominated possession and had more attempts on goal. The second half was Wrexham's from the kick-off.

"Then when Phil Parkinson brought on Windass, [Lewis] O'Brien and [Matty] James, they completely took control.

"I've got to say, they looked a class act, they looked a good team."

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Wrexham defender Liberato Cacace has withdrawn from the New Zealand squad for their two upcoming friendlies against Colombia and Ecuador.

Manager Phil Parkinson says the left back suffered a calf injury during last week's game at Portsmouth.

"Libby's calf unfortunately tightened up after Wednesday," Parkinson said after Saturday's win over Charlton.

"I don't think it's too serious, but it looks like keeping him out of the international games."

The 24-year-old left back, who has won 33 caps for his country, joined Wrexham from Italian side Emopli in the summer on a three-year-deal.

However, he has only made seven appearances for the Red Dragons following an injury-hit start to his career with the Welsh club.

Cacace missed a chunk of games having suffered a hamstring injury against Southampton on the opening day of the Championship season.

He also did not feature for more than six weeks after playing in the 2-0 win at Millwall in late August.

Wrexham's next game is against Ipswich on 22 November.

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Following Wrexham's run of five unbeaten league games, we asked fans if their home form is enough to help secure a fourth successive promotion.

Here are some of the responses.

Jay: I think the last two performances speak for themselves. We've proven we can go toe-to-toe with Championship and lower Premier League quality clubs, and now we have to build on that. The atmosphere at home helps but I've also been impressed with the away performances too, including the games at Norwich and Middlesbrough.

Stephen: Not this year, unfortunately.

Catherine: I was there on Saturday and the atmosphere was electric. I'm sure this has made a huge difference from a few weeks back when the crowds were very quiet. Now we feel confident.

Draig: From Wrexham being 3-1 up against Coventry to scraping a narrow 3-2 victory, then Okonkwo's late save stopped us dropping a point to Charlton. It doesn't give off fortress-like vibes to me. Increased effort has seen the crowd getting behind the team more, but our defence still feels a bit too close to giving away an easy goal and we've struggled too much to score from open play for me to feel much confidence about the ground returning to fortress status.

Jon: The past few years have been built on our home dominance. The results this season have not been in that same realm, but performances have shown competitiveness. No one was expecting the same as last season with the step up. The recent results have been encouraging but by no means has it re-established fortress status.

Wrexham's 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday was their third successive home win in the Championship.

Phil Parkinson's side extended their unbeaten league run on home soil to five matches.

Parkinson feels opposition teams now feel they are in for a tough game again at the Stok Cae Ras.

The historic ground has been a fortress over recent years as Wrexham secured back-to-back-to-back promotions - could that happen again?

Have your say here

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Steve Parkin's family watched on from the stands as Wrexham claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic to give the assistant boss the perfect birthday present.

Parkin turned 60 on the eve of the Championship fixture at the Stok Cae Ras, although it was a poignant milestone as the former defender lost his father exactly one year earlier.

Prior to the game in north Wales, manager Phil Parkinson urged his side to deliver a positive result for his long-time assistant.

And the manager now hopes Parkin will get to enjoy some more time with his family during the international break following a relentless schedule that has seen the Red Dragons play seven fixtures in just 22 days in all competitions.

"I'm so pleased for Steve. He had all of his family here today, it was very special," said Parkinson.

"He enjoyed his day but this [win] was key because this is our job.

"We work so hard to gain those wins. Now Steve, like all of us, can have a few days' break and enjoy some family time."

The victory against Charlton - Wrexham's third in succession at home in the Championship - lifted Parkinson's men up to 13th.

They sit four points adrift of the play-off places and 11 clear of the relegation zone after 15 games.

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Wrexham hope to give assistant manager Steve Parkin the perfect birthday present by earning three points against Charlton Athletic this weekend.

Phil Parkinson's long-time assistant turned 60 on 7 November, although this year's birthday was poignant given the fact it was exactly 12 months on from the passing of Parkin's father.

On the eve of Wrexham's Championship contest with the Addicks at the Stok Cae Ras on Saturday (15:00 GMT), players and staff welcomed Parkin to the club's training ground before singing a rendition of Happy Birthday.

"All of the staff got in early and gave him a welcome when he arrived at half-seven this morning," Parkinson told BBC Sport Wales.

"Steve, it's a big day for him. The anniversary of his dad sadly dying, a year ago today.

"It means a lot to him today and, as he said to the lads, what will mean more than anything is getting the points tomorrow."

Matty James hailed the impact of Parkin at the club.

"Steve's a fantastic guy, he probably doesn't feel 60 years old, he certainly doesn't act it," the midfielder told BBC Sport Wales.

"For us as a group, everyone was wishing him a happy birthday. Hopefully we can go out there tomorrow and get the three points for him."

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Two promoted teams finding their feet in the Championship lock-horns at the Stok Cae Ras on Saturday as Charlton head to Wrexham (15:00 GMT).

The Addicks have made a flying start to lie 6th after a last-gasp 1-0 win over West Brom on Tuesday night made it 11 points from the past five games for Nathan Jones's men.

Phil Parkinson's Red Dragons have suffered just one defeat in nine and followed up their 3-2 win over previously unbeaten leaders Coventry in their last home game last Friday with a battling goalless draw at Portsmouth on Wednesday to go 14th, just five points behind their visitors in the play-off places.

• Wrexham have won their past three home league games against Charlton Athletic and have lost just one out of seven overall (W4 D2).

• Charlton have won just one of their last nine league matches against Wrexham (D4 L4), a 1-0 win in February 1982.

• Wrexham have won their past two home league matches – they last won three in a row in the second tier back in March 1982.

• Charlton Athletic have won 23 points after 14 Championship games this season (W6 D5 L3), their best at this stage of a second tier campaign since 1999-00, when they had 29. They went on to win the title that season.

• Charlton's Welsh manager Nathan Jones has won his last four away Championship matches in Wales, with this his first since a 2-1 win at Cardiff with Luton in August 2022.

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Wrexham round off what has been a hectic schedule when they host Charlton Athletic at the Stok Cae Ras on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The fixture brings back fond memories for the Red Dragons - who beat Nathan Jones' side 3-0 in April to clinch promotion from League One.

Ahead of the Championship meeting between the sides this weekend, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said his side's challenge is to replicate their showing from what was a "magical day" earlier this year.

"It's one of the best days of my managerial, playing career, even life," said Parkinson.

"The documentation of that day, the result going for us at midday (Wycombe Wanderers' 1-0 loss to Leyton Orient). The atmosphere in the ground, the celebrations.

"It was just an incredible day. Like I always say to the players and supporters, managers never experience a day like that. That was a magical day which we'll never forget.

"Now our job is to go and reproduce that level of performance to try and get the points at the weekend."

Parkinson was in attendance at The Valley as Charlton secured a last-gasp 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night.

And the Wrexham manager felt the performance of the Addicks was similar to the one Portsmouth produced against the Red Dragons on Wednesday.

"I watched them, it was a similar game to tonight. Charlton hung in there and got their moment, the keeper's made a mistake for West Brom," added Parkinson.

"I can't wait for the weekend, the last game before the international break and the last game of this recent run.

"We need a huge effort from everybody to come through in good spirits."

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Phil Parkinson feels Arthur Okonkwo is improving on a weekly basis after he kept a clean sheet to earn Wrexham a point at Portsmouth.

The goalkeeper has been a mainstay in the Championship for the Red Dragons since summer signing Danny Ward suffered an elbow injury in late August.

And he produced impressive saves to deny the likes of Josh Murphy and Ibane Bowat at Fratton Park as the contest ended goalless, with Wrexham registering a third league clean sheet of the season.

"I'm so pleased for the big fella (Okonkwo) tonight, he's getting better and better each week," Parkinson told BBC Sport Wales.

"He's been on this journey through the divisions with us and he's adapting all the time.

"That was a really good performance from him tonight. He can be very pleased with his clean sheet."

John Mousinho's Portsmouth side had more than double the number of efforts on and off target than Wrexham managed, although arguably the game's best chance fell to Lewis O'Brien in the second half.

The Wrexham midfielder was played through on goal by Liberato Cacace but was unable to beat the onrushing Josef Bursik.

And while pleased with the battling qualities on show against Pompey, Parkinson says Wrexham could well have left Fratton Park with all three points.

"We've spoken about it a lot. It's a great chance," added the Wrexham boss.

"It was one of few moments in the second half where we linked the game and cut them open.

"It was a great moment for us. If he (O'Brien) looks back, he probably didn't need the touch, he probably could have bent it in first time.

"The keeper came out and did well to be fair to him but in those moments, you need them to go in to win games."

Portsmouth will look to end a tricky spell with a victory over Wrexham when the Welsh side make the trip to Fratton Park on Wednesday night (20:00 GMT).

Pompey are without a win in four league games, losing their past three successively.

However, Wrexham have begun to build momentum. Undefeated across their past three (W2 D1) to see them start to make an ascent up the table.

• This will be the first meeting between Portsmouth and Wrexham in any competition since 1986, when Pompey beat the Welsh side 4-1 on aggregate in the second round of the League Cup (2-1 away, 2-0 home).

• Wrexham won 1-0 on both of their first two trips to face Portsmouth in the Football League in 1977 and 1978, but did lose 3-0 on their most recent in September 1982 when led by Bobby Roberts.

• Portsmouth have lost their last two home league games, last losing three on the bounce at Fratton Park in March 2018 under Kenny Jackett.

• Wrexham are winless in their last three away league games (D2 L1), but the Dragons haven't gone four without victory on the road since they were promoted back to the Football League in 2023.

• Wrexham's Josh Windass has been directly involved in five goals in seven Football League appearances against Portsmouth, scoring once for Accrington Stanley and grabbing two goals and two assists for Sheffield Wednesday.

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Dan Scarr believes Wrexham have a "good chance" of reaching the Championship play-offs this season as they look to extend their three-game unbeaten league run at Portsmouth tonight (20:00 GMT).

The Red Dragons have taken seven points from a possible nine since losing 1-0 at Stoke City, a run that has seen them move within striking distance of the second tier's top six.

And defender Scarr believes his side's performances against high-flyers Middlesbrough and Coventry City prove Wrexham can compete with the best in the division.

When asked if the squad believe they can challenge for a play-off berth, Scarr said: "One hundred percent. We've faced the top two sides in the league and we've had positive performances from them - I don't think we've got anything to fear.

"I think if we can try and stay solid, it'll give us a foundation to build from and if we start being even more clinical than we were on Friday night (against Coventry), I think we can have a good chance."

The defender added: "When you come into the league, there's a lot of good teams and good players so you always have to give the opposition a level of respect.

"But sometimes the game suits getting after the team we've played. The Friday night one, and probably Middlesbrough as well, suited that - that's what we needed to do."

Scarr has had to be patient for game time this season, with the 30-year-old's start against Coventry being his first in the league this term.

But the centre-back admits the increased competition for places has helped to lift the levels at the club.

"We've signed some really good players all over the pitch, they've all been good additions," he added.

"Defensive-wise, we've got a lot of good, solid defenders which is good competition.

"It can be frustrating at times on a personal note for everyone who's not involved because everyone wants to play every game.

"But I think you need that level of competition, that's what makes you train hard, stay hungry and ready for when you're called on."