PHIL PARKINSON won’t get too down following a rare off-day but the Wrexham boss is expecting a response from his side at home to Morecambe this weekend.
The Reds’ 11 game unbeaten run came to an end after losing 2-0 against Accrington Stanley at The Crown Ground on Saturday.
Wrexham, backed by nearly 2,600 travelling supporters, were far from their best but it was only the third defeat in 18 League Two matches this season and they sit fourth in the table, eight points behind leaders Stockport County.
Parkinson expects a positive reaction when the Reds face Morecambe at The STóK Cae Ras.
“There were not enough good performances that you need to win a game like Accrington,” said Parkinson.
“I said during the week that Accrington were in League One last year and nearly all these players played in League One last year, so we had to go there with the same mindset as we did at Mansfield and Notts County because they are a good side.
“The reason they have done well over the years historically here is because people underestimate them and we tried our best not to.
“We are obviously frustrated but the lads have been magnificent in terms of the games we have had and you are going to get knocks along the way.
“We need to come back in ready to respond to a defeat, but defeats happen; we haven’t had many in my time here and I am not going to get too low about it but equally, we had a lot of supporters there and they know that we can play a lot better.”
Accrington took the lead five minutes into the second half following a controversial penalty and Parkinson conceded that the Reds never looked like getting back into the game, with John Coleman’s side going on to score a second goal.
“In the past the subs have really changed the dynamics of the game but to get back in the game, you still need some patterns of play and we didn’t really get that,” he added.
“It just became a bit frantic and it almost played into their hands a little bit.
“Accrington were physical and they were strong as you would expect them to be but we didn’t play like we know we can and that is frustrating.
“We have got to give them credit but I thought the penalty decision was a huge moment in the game.”
Meanwhile, Saturday’s opponents Morecambe have announced manager Derek Adams has left the club after a release clause was activated in his contract.
Adams has been linked with a return to former side Ross County in Scotland following the dismissal of Malky Mackay last week.
The club stressed they wanted to keep Adams at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium, but a “contractual release clause was met to enable the move to progress”.
Morecambe CEO Ben Sadler told the club’s official website: “Derek has done an excellent job in challenging circumstances during his second spell with Morecambe, securing the club’s status in League One upon his return midway through the 2021-2022 season, and building an excellent squad almost from scratch in the current season that is currently sitting just outside the League Two playoff positions, with games in hand.”
The 48-year-old, who first took over at the Shrimps between November 2019 and June 2021, returned to the club in February last year and managed to retain their League One status.
They were relegated to League Two last season and sit just two points adrift of the play-off places in their bid for an immediate return to the third tier.
Coaches John McMahon and Ged Brannan will take interim charge until a new manager is appointed.
