English League Two: Game Week 26
Stadium: Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
1st January 2024
Wrexham will welcome Barrow at Racecourse Ground, Wrexham in Game Week 26 of the English League Two. Barrow has the opportunity to go above Wrexham and into the playoff places. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?
Receive Your Welcome Bonus!Wrexham form
Wrexham faced another disappointing second-half performance on the road, resulting in a decline in their form as they finished 2023 with a disappointing result. This marked the third time in their last four away league matches that they dropped points. However, they have the advantage of two of their next three home games taking place at the Racecourse Ground, where they have excelled throughout the season, maintaining an impressive 11-match unbeaten run and securing six consecutive victories.
Under the leadership of Phil Parkinson, Wrexham has shown resilience and a quick recovery from disappointing results, as they have never lost consecutive domestic matches since he took charge. In terms of offensive consistency, the team has demonstrated their prowess in the attacking third throughout the season, scoring in 12 of their last 13 domestic fixtures and only being held scoreless in three league matches.
Their recent success in this competition has been closely linked to their ability to prevent opponents from scoring in the first half. In fact, their last seven victories have occurred when they successfully kept the opposition off the scoresheet in the opening half. However, Wrexham has not won a League Two match when conceding a goal in the opening 45 minutes since their 3-2 win over Salford City on October 14.
When it comes to their performances in January, Wrexham has maintained an unbeaten streak in their last seven domestic games. They have only suffered one league defeat this month since their 2021-22 National League campaign, which was a 3-1 loss to Notts County on January 2, 2022.
Wrexham Predicted Lineup
Okonkwo; Forde, Boyle, Tozer, O'Connor, McClean; Barnett, Cannon, Lee; Mullin, Dalby
Barrow form
The Barrow team is steadily making progress in the League Two standings, as they continue their impressive unbeaten streak of 14 matches in this competition. Despite this, manager Pete Wild believes that their recent performances could have been even better, as they failed to win their last two games despite being ahead in the second half. These dropped points could have positioned them in second place. However, playing away from home may be the key to returning to their winning ways. In their last five consecutive league matches outside of Holker Street, the club from Cumbria has secured three points in each game, and has earned at least one point in their last six away matches. While their offensive capabilities may be lacking, they compensate with a solid defensive line, having conceded the second-fewest goals (20) in League Two so far this season. Although they have experienced a few setbacks recently, Barrow has only been trailing in one of their previous 12 league fixtures. They made a stunning comeback in late November, scoring four goals in the second half to defeat Colchester United with a final score of 4-1. Moreover, in their last nine encounters against Wrexham, they have only suffered one defeat. They managed to come back and secure a 1-1 draw in their home game against the Red Dragons earlier this season.
Barrow Predicted Lineup
Farman; Ogungbo, Ray, Canavan; Stephenson, Spence, White, Foley, Newby; Telford, Garner
Wrexham vs Barrow Expert Tips
Out of the previous eight encounters between these two teams, six have ended in a tie, and it is possible that this one may have a similar outcome. Taking into consideration the current performance of both Wrexham and Barrow, whether playing at home or away, and the tight competition in the standings, we anticipate an intense showdown on Monday. However, we do not believe either team will have a clear advantage. We still believe Wrexham to win the game and continue their position in automatic promotion spot.