Wrexham have been dealt a major blow as it was confirmed that one of their stars is now set to be sidelined for much of the season after picking up a freak injury in training.
Wrexham flying high in League One
A goal in the first minute from veteran striker Paul Mullin ensured that Wrexham picked up another win in League One as they march towards promotion under Phil Parkinson.
The club are aiming for their third successive promotion having leaped from the National League to League One in the last two seasons, aided by the new-found celebrity status bought to the Welsh side by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
They are on course to do so too, with the Red Dragons having lost just twice so far in England’s third tier, though they still trail the summer’s biggest spenders Birmingham City in the race for the title.
Mullin and Reynolds react to 'bite' footage of Wrexham star vs Birmingham
It was a heated night away to Birmingham.
ByHenry Jackson
They were beaten 3-1 by the midlands outfit earlier in the campaign, and barring a major change of form, it does seem that Parkinson’s side will likely be competing for the second automatic promotion spot alongside fellow early high-flyers Wycombe Wanderers, Mansfield Town and Exeter City.
However, they have been dealt a major blow in their promotion push.
Striker set to miss 20+ games with freak injury
Now, Phil Parkinson has confirmed that striker Jack Marriott is set for a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a fractured foot in training.
The striker had scored five goals in League One outings so far this season but will now face a prolonged absence, the Wrexham boss revealed.
Marriott’s League One season so far
Appearances
10
Starts
9
Goals
5
Minutes per goal
135
“He had a shot on goal with no-one near him (in training on Thursday) and his foot just went underneath him. He’s broken his fibula and is facing an operation on Monday”, he explained.
The injury is set to sideline him for at least four months, which is likely to see him make his return at the beginning of March, by which point Wrexham will have played another 23 games across all competitions. The news will come as a particular blow to McElhenney, who admitted at the start of the season that the forward was an exciting prospect for him.
“I was just really excited for Jack [Marriott]. I just feel like he is going to shine. He was just looking for that goal that is going to give him the confidence to go out there and be the player that he is.”
In his absence, the club will be looking to rely on Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer, with the pair lining up together against Rotherham and Mullin proving the match winner.
Veteran striker Steven Fletcher is also an option, with the 37-year-old bringing a wealth of experience, though they will undoubtedly miss Marriott’s goalscoring presence.