Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson praises goalkeeper Rob Lainton for inspired performance against Chesterfield

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson praised goalkeeper Rob Lainton for a string of saves against Chesterfield in the first-half in which the visitors ‘hung in there’ as the Spireites dominated but could not find a breakthrough.
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The Blues did everything but score in the opening 45 as Lainton denied Akwasi Asante twice, Tom Whelan and Calvin Miller.

And they paid the price after the break as Ollie Palmer hit a brace for the away side.

Parkinson said: “It is a big win for us.

Phil Parkinson.Phil Parkinson.
Phil Parkinson.

“First-half, we hung in there.

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"A special mention to Rob (Lainton) tonight because I thought he showed what he is. He stepped up to the mark with some very, very good saves tonight and that enabled us to get to half-time level and ready to improve in the second period.

"They (Chesterfield) changed their shape and they caught us off guard a bit.

"They were playing a sort of box in midfield with their two wide players tucked in and we were getting pulled all over in that period.

"We did not compete as well as I would have liked us to have done and we did not play with the calmness we needed to in the kind of atmosphere it was tonight.

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"I said to the lads before that they (Chesterfield) had just been beaten 3-2 and there was always going to be some type of reaction in front of a full house.

"After half an hour we changed it and got a foothold in the game and I thought the lads adapted tactically to it really well.

"Gradually, as the game went on, we got to grips with it and in the second-half I thought we were excellent.”

Palmer’s double, both from set-pieces, sends Wrexham fifth, three points behind Chesterfield.

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Parkinson, who took over in the summer, added: "It was always going to be tough tonight and when you are not at your best, like we were in the first-half, it is important you stay in the game.

"We sorted a few things out at half-time and came out second-half and we were miles better.

"It is a great win for us tonight against a good team.”