Wrexham roared back into Championship form as Josh Windass marked his comeback with a blistering brace in a 3-2 victory over a limp Norwich City. The win eased the heat on Phil Parkinson, whose rocky start to life in the second tier had sparked murmurs of discontent. Norwich, however, remain in meltdown. Four home games, four defeats, the Canaries are spiraling.

Getty Images SportWrexham get the job done

Parkinson rang the changes after last weekend’s 3-1 loss to QPR. Out went Conor Coady, James McClean, Matty James and Ryan Hardie. In came debutants Dominic Hyam and Issa Kabore, Ben Sheaf for his first full start, and the returning Windass, thrust back into the XI and given the captain’s armband for good measure. The tactical tweak was obvious. Lewis O’Brien and Windass pushed high, buzzing around Kieffer Moore as Parkinson looked to overwhelm Norwich with energy and width. From the first whistle, Wrexham’s intent was there.

Norwich were toothless for much of the half, but when their moment came in the 39th minute, they punished Wrexham ruthlessly. David Jurasek slid a neat ball through for Jack Stacey, who darted clear and coolly tucked past Arthur Okonkwo. Against the run of play, the hosts led 1-0.

Whatever Parkinson said at the interval could have peeled paint off the walls. Wrexham came out after the restart like a team possessed, and Norwich had no answers. Barely two minutes in, Windass was on the scoresheet. A sweeping diagonal ball released Kabore, whose low cross found the skipper lurking. One swing of the boot and it was 1-1. Minutes later, Windass almost turned provider, sliding O’Brien through, only for Vladan Kovacevic to save smartly.

By the 54th minute, Wrexham had flipped the game on its head. Ben Sheaf worked the ball out wide to Kabore, whose delivery was precise. Ryan Longman pounced, firing into the net to make it 2-1. Norwich were reeling, their defence all over the shop, and Wrexham smelt blood. Just before the hour, the killer blow arrived. Tylor Cleworth’s cross evaded everyone in the middle, but not Windass. The captain shaped, curled, and delivered a beauty into the far corner to make it 3-1. In a devastating 15-minute spell, the Red Dragons had torched the Canaries. Although the hosts pulled one back deep inside stoppage time, it was too little too late to salvage a point at home for Norwich.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMVP: Windass' brilliant brace

Back from injury and wearing the armband, Windass was sensational. His brace, plus a hand in every key attacking moment, made him the undisputed MVP. After frustration on the sidelines, the forward looked reborn, driving Wrexham forward with pace and precision. 

The big losers: Norwich's dismal backline

If Windass was the hero, Norwich’s three centre-backs were the villains. Josh Cordoba, Harry Darling and Jakov Medic were statuesque as Windass ghosted through for his opener. The lack of awareness, the failure to track runs, and the absence of bite left them hopelessly exposed. Liam Manning's men looked brittle, nervous, and rudderless every time the ball came into their box.

Where next for Wrexham?

With league pressure eased, attention now shifts to cup duty. Wrexham welcome Reading to the Racecourse Ground on Tuesday night for an EFL Cup third-round tie. Victory there could spark genuine momentum heading into the next Championship fixtures.