Preview: Wrexham vs. Notts County

Sports Mole previews Saturday’s League Two clash between Wrexham and Notts County, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

League Two promotion hopefuls Wrexham and Notts County battle it out at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday afternoon.

Separated by eight points and three places in the table, both teams are bidding to win back-to-back league fixtures after celebrating success in midweek.

Match preview
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Wrexham ended a four-game losing run in all competitions when they beat League Two basement club Sutton United 2-1 away from home on Tuesday night, albeit leaving it late to claim three important points.

The Dragons were on course to share the spoils with Sutton after Charlie Lakin cancelled out Will Boyle’s opener, but top scorer Elliot Lee fired home his 14th goal of the season five minutes from time to snatch victory at Gander Green Lane.

Phil Parkinson’s side have climbed up to fourth place in the League Two table following Barrow’s surprise defeat to Forest Green Rovers, while they also capitalised on leaders Stockport County losing at home to Crewe Alexandra and have move to within six points of the summit, boasting at least one game in hand on the three teams above them.

Wrexham will welcome a return to the Racecourse Ground where they have won 11 of their 15 league matches and have accumulated a total of 35 points, more than any other League Two team on home soil so far this season.

The Dragons can be confident of success on Saturday against a Notts County side whom they have beaten in their last two meetings, including a 2-0 victory at Meadow Lane in October last year.

Like Wrexham, Notts County ended a disappointing run of form – five successive games without a win – by claiming maximum points in a 3-1 away victory over Newport County on Tuesday night.

League Two’s top scorer Macauley Langstaff netted his 21st and 22nd goals of the campaign either side of a David McGoldrick strike to put the Magpies three goals ahead before the hour mark, before Newport’s Will Evans converted a consolation strike from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

Stuart Maynard celebrated his first win as Notts County boss at the fourth time of asking and the 43-year-old now sees his side sitting seventh in the League Two standings, level on points with both Harrogate Town and Gillingham in eighth and ninth respectively.

Two important fixtures against fourth-placed Wrexham and third-placed Crewe are up next for Notts County, who can ill-afford to drop too many more points if they wish to climb back into the playoffs and potentially close the 10-point gap that separates them from the automatic promotion spots.

Success on Saturday is not a given, though, as the Magpies have only won one of their last nine away league matches – Tuesday’s aforementioned success at Newport – while they have failed to win any of their last four visits to Wrexham.

Wrexham League Two form:

Wrexham form (all competitions):

Notts County League Two form:

Team News
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Wrexham defender Tom O’Connor is making progress in his recovery from a fracture foot, but he is not expected to return this weekend, so a back three of Boyle, Eoghan O’Connell and Max Cleworth is set to remain intact.

Striker Paul Mullin was only fit to begin as a substitute in midweek, and although he should be in contention to start against Notts County, Parkinson could stick with Jack Marriott and Steven Fletcher up top, while Ollie Palmer is another attacking options pushing to start.

It remains to be seen whether James Jones will be fit to feature after missing the win at Sutton, so Lee, George Evans and Andy Cannon could all link arms in centre-midfield.

As for Notts County, they are still having to cope without Matt Palmer, Geraldo Bajrami and Cedwyn Scott as they continue to recover from long-term injuries.

However, Lewis Macari recovered from injury to make his first appearance since December against Newport, and the right-back will be hoping to keep his place in the first XI on Saturday.

Fulham loanee Luca Ashby-Hammond is set to continue between the sticks after making his debut in midweek, while Aaron Nemane, Jim O’Brien and Sam Austin will all be pushing to start after beginning as substitutes last time out.

Wrexham possible starting lineup:
Okonkwo; Cleworth, O’Connell, Boyle; Bolton, Cannon, Evans, Lee, McClean; Mullin, Fletcher

Notts County possible starting lineup:
Ashby-Hammond; Macari, Baldwin, Warner, Cameron; Bostock, Robertson; Crowley, Langstaff, Jones; McGoldrick

We say: Wrexham 3-2 Notts County
There is never a dull moment at the Racecourse Ground and another entertaining contest between two attack-minded teams should be in store this weekend.

Keeping Langstaff and McGoldrick quiet could prove challenging for Wrexham, but they boast their own threat in the final third with the likes of Mullin and Fletcher, who could fire the Dragons to an important victory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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