Reynolds and McElhenney bad boy gets ban as Wrexham avoid promotion slip up

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Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and fans were left frustrated as they suffered a 0-0 draw against Harrogate Town (Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and fans were left frustrated as they suffered a 0-0 draw against Harrogate Town (Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Wrexham will be without James McClean for the next two games as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney anxiously watch their team fight for promotion.

Just five points separate the top five in League Two, with the Welsh club currently in second place, just two points behind leaders Mansfield Town. However, third-place Stockport are breathing down their necks as they trail by just a point, and have two games in hand on Phil Parkinson’s men, while Crewe Alexander and MK Dons sit fourth and fifth with 64 points each.

This became the state of play when Wrexham was held to a 0-0 draw against Harrogate Town on Tuesday night. Despite dominating possession and registering 16 shots at goal and facing just four against them, they were unable to break the deadlock at the Racecourse.

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The draw wasn't the only setback Wrexham suffered as McClean received his 10th yellow card of the season, which triggered an automatic two-match ban. After he was caught tugging Levi Sutton’s shirt with a little under 20 minutes to go, a foul was called and the official deemed the offense worthy of a booking.

Had the former Sunderland and Republic of Ireland international avoided a yellow card against Harrogate, his card count would have reset, and any fears of a suspension would have been quelled. Back in January, when McClean was on eight yellow cards and Will Boyle was sent off in a 1-0 defeat to Newport County, manager Parkinson stressed the need for his team to be more disciplined.

"We gave ourselves a mountain to climb with the sending off. It's a tough place to come anyway but we go down to 10 men and then second half they had the conditions in their favour as well,” he told club media. “We never really produced the quality with 10 men to get back in the game. The last thing we needed coming to a place like this is one, to go down to 10 men and 2, concede a goal.

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Reynolds and McElhenney bad boy gets ban as Wrexham avoid promotion slip upJames McClean picked up his 10th yellow card of the season and will now miss the club's next two games (Phil Oldham/REX/Shutterstock)

“If we'd made it to half-time nil-nil, you'd have fancied us because the crowd were starting to get edgy to their own team and the goal was, like any goal, a key moment." A lot of times we've been down to 10 men, we've found a way to win, but you can't keep doing that. It is difficult.

“We have to make sure between now and the end of the season we keep our discipline and give ourselves every chance in every single game." But now the 34-year-old will be unavailable for his team’s home game against Tranmere Rovers and a trip to Grimsby Town on March 16 and 23 respectively.

Wrexham missed the chance to go level on points with league leaders Mansfield, but Tranmere’s 2-1 victory over ‘The Stags’ on Tuesday means the 2023 National League winners are not behind by a bigger margin heading into this weekend's important fixtures.

Liam Llewellyn

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