Bolton draw proves Wrexham competitive in League One, says Parkinson

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson says his side’s goalless draw away at Bolton Wanderers proves they can compete in League One.

Bolton finished third in the league last season behind Portsmouth and Derby County before losing out in the play-off semi-finals against eventual promotion winners Oxford United.

The Welsh side, meanwhile, were promoted from the fourth tier and opened their League One campaign with a 3-2 victory over Wycombe Wanderers last time out.

Parkinson’s side and Ian Evatt’s hosts could not be separated on Sunday, however, as the visiting manager suggested the result shows Wrexham are equal to the level of the third-tier competition.

“It was a good test and I was interested to see how we fared,” said Parkinson.

“They started so quickly and we didn’t quite react to that. But we grew into the game. We showed at times we have got quality. We had moments, so did they.

“It was important for us as well to show we can compete at this level, at the top end of the division. I felt we did that.

“At times in the second period, we gained some control with the ball and looked like we could go on and win it. But we had to rely on Arthur [Okonkwo] for one particular outstanding save.”

Parkinson believes his faith in ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Okonkwo, who denied the impressive Dion Charles, has paid off after his successful attempts to sign him.

“I said to the owners in the summer Arthur was a key signing,” Parkinson added. “He is someone who can grow with the club.

“He’s not just a good keeper, he is a good character as well. Everyone saw his quality. He was immaculate.”

FULL TIME | Bolton Wanderers 0-0 Wrexham AFC

Phil Parkinson’s side claim a well-earned point on the road

#WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/qrMc6yjo1J

— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) August 18, 2024

Over 24 League One contests on home soil last season, Bolton had 15 wins, five draws, and four losses, and Evatt felt the home side should have continued that impressive record on Sunday.

Bolton were also denied a stoppage-time penalty for a shirt pull on skipper Ricardo Santos, much to the dismay of Evatt.

“I thought we deserved to win it,” Evatt said. “We were the team probing and asking questions for large spells. We should have and probably could have gone ahead and we had enough chances to win it.

“For a team like them that ask you lots of questions and score a lot of goals, they didn’t create a great deal. They really celebrated the draw so that shows where we are at.”