Steven Fletcher showed his quality with a hat-trick in Wrexham’s 4-1 League Two comeback win over Barrow, according to Dragons assistant boss Steve Parkin.
The Bluebirds took a first-minute lead through Kian Spence’s finish before the hosts scored three times in 14 minutes of first-half stoppage time, played as a result of Barrow’s David Worrall being knocked out and leaving the pitch on a stretcher.
Fletcher’s brace and Paul Mullin’s free-kick all in the space of five minutes put Wrexham ahead at the break, with Fletcher completing his hat-trick after half-time with a pinpoint header, leaving Parkin to sing his praises.
He said: “It’s great for him. He’s had a long and illustrious career where he’s been a top player and he’s got off to a great start here and then sadly had that little knee injury that’s just held him back for three or four weeks.
“He’s been great in training over the last couple of weeks and he’s great around the dressing room and the lads and today he’s shown what a great player he is.
“We were delighted to get in at half-time in front. I think we needed a goal to give us a spark.
“I think the goal that they got shocked everybody a little bit, it rocked us on our heels a wee bit and we were just a little bit impatient with the football during the first half.
“But towards the end of the first half when we got the goals I always felt that we were going to come on strong.”
Barrow’s Pete Wild revealed Worrall was taken to hospital but was conscious, while his replacement Luca Stephenson was also taken off on a stretcher after being knocked out in an aerial challenge but did not need to go to hospital.
Wild said: “We’ve started brilliantly today. I thought for 40-odd minutes we were brilliant and we took it to Wrexham, like we’d spoken about we wanted to do.
“We end up having a mad 10 minutes and all three goals are completely avoidable.
“Wrexham are in complete control of the football match and they come out in the second half and have the ability with the players they’ve got to control the football match and they’re ruthless with the fourth.
“It was a game too far, I think. We’ve worked ever so hard across the Christmas period. We’ve given everything we’ve got for the football club.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t our day today. We’ve gone 14 unbeaten, we’ve been unbelievable, they’ve been unbelievable, they’ve given everything they’ve got for the football club.
“I think there’s been so many good things across this run, it was going to come to an end at some point.”
Al-Ahli 1-2 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic double keeps Saudi champions perfect
Aleksandar Mitrovic proved to be the difference once again for Al-Hilal as the reigning Saudi Pro League champions beat Al-Ahli 2-1 on Saturday.
Al-Ahil went in front with 12 minutes played when Gabri Veiga was sent through on goal by Franck Kessie, with the Spaniard rounding Yassine Bounou to open the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City.
The hosts went close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney going close, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic saw his effort cleared off the line at the other end.
But parity was restored early in the second half through Al-Hilal's master marksman, as Mitrovic nodded home a trademark header from Renan Lodi's delivery.
Al-Ahil were then awarded a penalty when Rayan Hamed fouled Malcom inside the box, only for Mitrovic to see his effort saved by Abdulrahman Al Sanbi.
However, the Serbian was given the chance to redeem himself after the VAR deemed encroachment had taken place, and he made no mistake at the second time of asking to net his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
Data Debrief: Mitrovic the main man
Mitrovic has been in fine form since his move to Saudi Arabia, with his latest double taking his tally to 54 goals in as many appearances for Al-Hilal.
This time out, he contributed 1.16 expected goals (xG) tally to the visitors' 2.24 total, while also recording the most touches in the opposition box (six).
Malcom also impressed for Al-Hilal, creating more chances (three) than anyone on the pitch, with his 14 passes into the final third a total only bettered by Ruben Neves (18) and Salem Al Dawsari (15) among his team-mates.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Orubah: Mane double helps hosts close in on leaders
Sadio Mane scored a goal in either half, helping Al-Nassr cruise to a 3-0 win over Al-Orubah and close in on the top two in the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given the hosts the lead from the spot, setting them on their way to a dominant victory.
After a slow start, Jean Seri was penalised for a handball, and Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot. After a stuttering run-up, he coolly slotted his strike into the bottom-left corner.
Mane got his first on the stroke of half-time, latching onto Ronaldo's pull-back before firing his low shot into the far side of the net.
He could have had a hat-trick, having also hit the woodwork and squandered a first-time shot by slicing it wide, but he did get his second in the 71st minute, guiding Nawaf Bu Washi's cross past Gaetan Coucke.
Cristian Tello came closest to a consolation for the visitors, smashing a long-range effort off the crossbar.
Data Debrief: Mane's time to shine
Mane, so far this season, has been providing the spark as a playmaker after registering five assists in Al-Nassr's first five games in the Saudi Pro League.
Today, however, he regained his scoring touch, getting his first two goals of the campaign.
He had the most shots (five), and shots on target (three), as he accumulated 0.97 expected goals (xG), while his seven touches in the box was the most of any player on the field.
Napoli 3-1 Como: Lukaku and McTominay on target to extend hosts' Serie A lead
Romelu Lukaku continued his fine start to life at Napoli as the Belgian notched a goal and two assists in his side's 3-1 win over Como on Friday.
The hosts found themselves ahead with just 26 seconds on the clock when Scott McTominay was picked out by Lukaku, with the Scotland international firing home his first goal for Gli Azzurri off the post.
But Como would draw themselves level two minutes before the break when Gabriel Strefezza's strike from distance rifled into the bottom corner.
However, Antonio Conte's side needed just eight minutes after the interval to restore their advantage when Sergi Roberto brought down Mathias Olivera in the box, with Lukaku stepping up from 12 yards to net his fourth Serie A goal of the season.
Napoli continued to push for a third goal to secure the victory, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia going closest but saw his effort saved by Emil Audero.
But the points were sealed in the 86th minute when Lukaku turned provider once again, holding off his marker before slipping through substitute David Neres who slotted home with a fine finish to extend Napoli's lead at the top of the standings to four points.
Data Debrief: Lukaku continues Conte love story
Lukaku has been a player reborn under Conte's stewardship. The Belgian is the player who has been involved in the most goals in his first five appearances for Napoli in Serie A since the Italian top-flight returned to 20 teams (since 2004/05) with three goals and four assists.
He has also managed to better his assist tally for the whole of last season, managing just three in 32 appearances for Roma last term.
McTominay's goal after 26 seconds is the third-fastest scored by Napoli since the start of a Serie A match in the three points for a win era, after Hirving Lozano's goal against Hellas Verona in 2021 (nine seconds) and Ezequiel Lavezzi's goal against Genoa in 2008 (25 seconds).
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