‘ Wrexham v Grimsby ‘

Play-off Semi-Final ( one game )




Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson:

"You get knocked and you have got to pick yourself up quickly. We have got so much to play for this season, starting on Saturday. From day one there has been a real focus, the FA Trophy was always a bonus for us and we need to be ready and focused and give everything we have got to get into the play-off final."






Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst:


"There's pressure to a degree on what we put on ourselves and the hopes and aspirations that we have. But I would say it's fair there's not as much pressure on us. My opinions on the squad I inherited and the changes we have made, it does feel like we have made a lot of progress in a year and a half."







What are the latest betting odds?

Winner of the tie:

Wrexham 1/4

Grimsby 11/4

What a brilliant game of football this is.

What a brilliant game of football this is.

3-3 75mins

What a brilliant game of football this is.

3-3 75mins

Grimsby winning 4-3 79mis

4-4 80mins

Some of the defending has been, shall we say questionable… But it’s made for an absolutely brilliant game.

Some of the defending has been, shall we say questionable… But it’s made for an absolutely brilliant game.

And people thought our defending was bad? Sunday league as better defending..

Some of the defending has been, shall we say questionable… But it’s made for an absolutely brilliant game.

And people thought our defending was bad? Sunday league as better defending..

More bad defending grimsby 5 - 4 2mins of added time

Wrexham lose 5-4

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson was left "seething" with the referee's performance following his side's play-off loss to Grimsby Town.

Luke Waterfall's 119th-minute winner sealed a 5-4 win for Grimsby in a pulsating semi-final at the Racecourse.

Parkinson was unhappy with a number of decisions made by Adam Herczeg.

"How the league put the referee in charge of that game is absolutely beyond me. I'm absolutely seething," Parkinson said.

"His performance was so far below the level accepted for a game of this magnitude, it was incredible.

"Congratulations to Grimsby, they've got there and good luck in the final.

"There was so much at stake. There's two fantastic football clubs, owners that have invested money in the clubs, and they put a sub-standard referee in a game of this magnitude.

"We had this referee two weeks ago and how he's been put in charge of this game I'm gobsmacked.

"We scored a goal which didn't stand, we had a player fouled before their goal and we had [Bryce] Hosannah clattered in the middle of the goal, which should have been a penalty.

"I haven't seem any of these incidents back, but dear me that performance was poor."

Herczeg had officiated in Wrexham's final game of the regular season against Dagenham & Redbridge.

Wrexham had finished runners-up to Stockport County, missing out on the title and automatic promotion.

Against Grimsby, Paul Mullin's penalty gave Wrexham the lead but John McAtee levelled with Waterfall putting the visitors ahead.
Ben Tozer and Mullin made it 3-2 and although Ryan Taylor and Mani Dieseruvwe restored Grimsby's lead, Jordan Davies equalised to send the tie into extra time before Waterfall's late winner.

Parkinson said the defeat was "as tough as it gets", with Wrexham now facing a 15th season outside the EFL.

"We're 30 seconds away from penalties and we concede a goal of that nature," Parkinson added.

"If it's pens it's pens, we know that's a 50/50 situation so it hurts."