WREXHAM, Wales — Phil Parkinson said Wrexham’s next target is to make games against Chelsea a regular occasion in the Premier League after the EFL Championship team exited the FA Cup with a 4-2 fifth-round defeat against the FIFA Club World Cup winners.
Despite twice taking the lead in a pulsating tie at Stok Cae Ras, Wrexham were ultimately beaten in extra time following a 90th-minute red card for midfielder George Dobson.
But after coming close to defeating Liam Rosenior’s team during 90 minutes, Parkinson said that Wrexham, which occupy a playoff spot in the Championship, now want to face the elite every week.
– Liam Rosenior admits Chelsea were ‘lucky’ to win Wrexham FA Cup tie
– Chelsea end Wrexham’s FA Cup run in extra time
– VAR review: Why was Wrexham’s Dobson sent off for his challenge on Garnacho?
“That has to be the aim, playing these teams,” Wrexham’s manager said. “That’s what you’re in football for, to have nights like this. We look forward to being involved in big games like this.
“It’s a huge gulf between the spending power in the Premier League and where we are in the Championship and where we’ve come from so quickly.
“It’s been a great cup run. Tonight was a great spectacle, and we were competitive against a very good side.
“We will take a lot of positives from it. We showed a lot of good aspects to our play and played some great football.
“We weren’t just trying to stop Chelsea — we believe we can play.”
Wrexham have already achieved a record three straight promotions since actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac took charge of the team in England’s fifth tier five years ago. But the prize of the Premier League elite is now closer than ever.
“It has been the aim since day one [to get into the Premier League], it really has, nothing has really changed about that,” Reynolds told ESPN postmatch.
“It is just so moving to see how galvanizing it is around here, how these supporters just feel about this football club and how infectious it is and just to see people all over the world adopt Wrexham as sometimes their second team, sometimes their only team, it is a really beautiful thing,” Reynolds said.
Dobson’s red card and an extra time Lewis Brunt goal which was ruled out for offside were both decided by VAR, giving Wrexham a bitter first experience of the video assistant referee system used in the Premier League.
“VAR is up for debate, I don’t know, I think the chant was f— VAR,” Mac told ESPN. “At the end of the day, the rules are the rules, and I feel like we put on a really great performance, and it was reflected not only on the pitch but in the stadium.”
And Parkinson said that those decisions made the game much tougher for his players.
“The lads have given a lot tonight and to play extra time with 10 men is really hard,” he said.
“I know the rule is that it’s got to be a clear and obvious mistake, and I think the referee has to back his judgement [on the foul].
“Of course, when he’s been called over to the screen, he should have been kept on a yellow card.
“Offside is marginal, and we can’t complain if that’s offside, but I really don’t agree with VAR sending the referee to the screen and then him changing his mind.
“He had a great view of it. But we’ll take the positives of the evening and regroup. Tonight it wasn’t quite to be, but we were close.”
