Wrexham vs Notts County: Hollywood glamour no match for Magpies
Notts County travel across the Welsh border to face Wrexham in an early-season clash of two of the National League’s heavyweights.
When: Monday, August 30, 7.30pm BST
Where: Racecourse Ground
How to watch: BT Sport 1
Best bets
Wrexham and Notts County come into this early-season clash locked together on four points.
The Magpies hammered ten-man Barnet 5-0 and followed it up with a useful point against 2020/21 play-off finalists Torquay United, while Wrexham made a stuttering start, drawing 2-2 with Solihull Moors before a Jake Hyde double gave them a 2-0 win at Eastleigh on Saturday.
The Magpies were almost successful in achieving promotion back to League Two at the second time of asking last season, but were defeated 4-2 after extra time in the play-off semi-final by Torquay United.
Wrexham have similarly lofty ambitions since being taken over by Hollywood pair Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Last three meetings
Wrexham 0-1 Notts County (National League, May 18, 2021)
Notts County 1-0 Wrexham (National League, April 2, 2021)
Notts County 1-1 Wrexham (National League, August 18, 2019)
Last 10 head-to-heads
Wrexham wins: 2
Draws: 2
Notts County wins: 6
Wrexham goals: 8
Notts County goals: 12
Magpies to continue their fine form?
They look far more assured at Eastleigh but the hosts were coming in a little under-cooked having been handed a bye on the opening weekend of the season. And, despite the fanfare around Wrexham and their shiny new owners, backing Notts County looks the way to go on this one.
It will be tight
Switching off defensively, as his side did against Solihull, did not wash with him, and he put great store by the clean sheet at Eastleigh, admitting they "had to work hard" to get it.
The Magpies can therefore expect to come up against a side who are well-drilled defensively. So while I'm confident they will find at least one way through, it certainly won't be another 5-0.
Barnet were nigh on toothless last Saturday while Torquay played much of Saturday's game with ten men, so the County defence hasn't had much of a test yet. That being said, they did concede to the undermanned Gulls.
However, a narrow away win, with the draw taken out of the equation, feels the way to go as the home side struggle under the weight of expectation.
Goalscorer bets
The 26-year-old opened his Red Dragons account from the spot against Solihull and then went on to set up Hyde's opener against Eastleigh.
Off the mark for his new club so quickly, Mullin will be able to play with far more freedom and the 2/1 about him scoring anytime looks decent value.
For the Magpies, Portuguese striker Ruben Rodrigues is the form man. He netted a brace in the opening day demolition of Barnet and now has 14 goals in 39 games since signing from Dutch outfit Den Bosch.