Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson praised the magnitude of his team’s effort and commitment following their 5-3 victory over the Blues at the Racecourse Ground.

Town are still waiting for a win against the Red Dragons having lost three - including the FA Cup tie eight days ago - and drawn one - the goalless stalemate at Portman Road in November - of the four meetings.

“I think you’ve got to understand that in performance today there were a couple of factors,” Parkinson said.

“We went to Bristol City on Tuesday and Bristol hadn’t had a weekend game. We’ve played Ipswich today, they didn’t have a midweek game and they completely changed the team from the Friday.

“The magnitude of the effort and the commitment the lads have given us today, if ever there was a game our supporters should be proud of the team, it was today.”

Parkinson was delighted with former Blues striker Kieffer Moore, who scored the opening goal and assisted his side’s second for Josh Windass.

“I thought Kieffer was back to his best today, I thought he was unplayable, particularly in the first half,” the one-time Colchester boss said. “And Josh does what he does, he produces big moments.

“But in general in the game, I said to the lads at half-time, ‘don’t let the goal affect us at 2-2’. I thought we were unlucky not to be ahead. And then lo and behold the centre-half [Cedric Kipre] smashes one in to make it 3-2.

“I think a lesser group of players could have started letting a bit of fatigue creep into them mentally, but we didn’t, we responded brilliantly and that’s a great effort from the lads.

“The subs obviously impacted when we needed them the most, but all in all, the team effort today was right up there.”

Reflecting on beating the Blues, a result he said is right up there with all his previous achievements with Wrexham, Parkinson added: “They’re hard team to play against and they’ve got a great manager, one of the best young managers in the country.

“It’s a challenge for us. I said to the lads before the game, ‘what an opportunity this is against a team that was in the Premier League last year. We know tactically what we’ve got to do with the ball and without it. Now can we execute that game plan?’.

“And I think we did that really well today. In the first half, some of the football we played was really good and in the second half, we looked a constant threat, particularly when Broady [Nathan Broadhead] came on.”

Parkinson also felt his side should have been awarded a penalty when Christian Walton caught Callum Doyle, who later netted his side’s fourth goal, on the head as the pair challenged for a corner.

“I don’t think you’re going to see a more blatant penalty than that,” he insisted. “Doyley’s very lucky that he wasn’t knocked clean out in that moment. It was an absolutely reckless challenge.

“The ref’s got his own interpretation of it, I’ve already had a chat with him, but you can’t believe the linesman and the ref between them haven’t given that penalty. Credit to Doyley as he’s got up and then gone and scored the goal.”

Photo: TWTD