Wrexham moved to within a point of the Championship's play-off places with a 2-1 victory over Derby County at Pride Park, sealed by a spectacular second-half strike from Matty James on Phil Parkinson's 250th game in charge. The midfielder's long-range curler, his first goal since April 2025, ensured the Red Dragons claimed a fourth consecutive league win and their 10th of the season.
Sam Smith had earlier given the in-form visitors a deserved lead, only for Ben Brereton-Díaz to continue his knack of scoring against Wrexham with a composed equaliser before the break. Derby rallied strongly in the second half and poured forward in search of another leveller after James' winner, but Wrexham's organisation and resilience saw them through on a bitterly cold afternoon.
Red Dragons Set the Tone with Blistering Start
Buoyed by their first away league victory in nine attempts at Blackburn Rovers three days earlier, Wrexham started with the assurance of a side on a roll. Within three minutes Nathan Broadhead bent a curling shot from the edge of the box against the inside of Jacob Widell Zetterström's post, only to lash the rebound over when the ball broke invitingly back to him.