Wrexham

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Lewis O'Brien says Wrexham's 1-1 draw with Cardiff City "hurts" as his side failed to see out victory in the Welsh capital.

Phil Parkinson's side appeared destined to kick-start their 2026-27 Championship campaign with a win over the Bluebirds after Kieffer Moore's third-minute strike.

But substitute Rubin Colwill struck a free-kick beyond debutant Anthony Patterson in the eighth minute of added time to earn Brian Barry-Murphy's men a share of the spoils at Cardiff City Stadium.

"It hurts to put that much effort into a game and draw like that. It's a really tough one to take," said O'Brien.

"I think we started well, we started fast. Obviously got the goal early. I think we played some good stuff.

"They had a lot of pressure on us in the second half and the momentum was building.

"If they didn't get out in the corner and we don't give the free-kick away in the last kick of the game, you'll probably come away and say we've got a good resilient result and we take three points, but it's a really hard one to take."

Moore, Danny Imray, Callum Doyle and Sam Smith all had chances to add to Wrexham's lead prior to Colwill's last-gasp equaliser in south Wales.

"I think we could have put them away, we could have had three or four and we were quite good on the counter-attack. We were just missing that clinical edge," added O'Brien.

The draw means Wrexham are winless in their opening two games of the season having lost 1-0 to Middlesbrough in the first round of the EFL Cup 10 days prior to the contest with Cardiff.

But they will play at the Racecourse Ground for the first time this season on Saturday (15:00 BST) as they welcome Watford to north Wales, and O'Brien is relishing the chance to play in front of the club's own supporters again.

"It's been a strange run, having the cup before the start of the league, but it'll be nice to see all the fans back at home," added O'Brien.

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Former Iceland striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson has announced his retirement at the age of 34.

Bodvarsson scored four goals in 64 international appearances for Iceland and started the Euro 2016 match in which his country upset England 2-1 to advance to the quarter-finals, a result that led to Roy Hodgson's resignation.

The striker spent almost ten years in England, first at Wolves, and then Reading and Millwall, before a successful spell at Bolton between 2022 and 2024 where he scored 25 goals in 94 appearances.

He also played for Wrexham and Burton Albion before heading home to Iceland to return to his first club Selfoss.

Bodvarsson said in a statement on social media: "I want to thank all my managers, coaches, players and staff members that I've been grateful enough to have met and worked with. It was great sharing the highs and lows of football with you."

Image source, Getty Images

Josh Windass will miss Wrexham's Championship opener at Cardiff City on Monday (20:00 BST) due to injury.

The forward was his side's top scorer last season with 17 goals across all competitions.

But he has not featured at all during pre-season and was also absent for the 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Friday.

Phil Parkinson confirmed that midfielder Ben Sheaf and left wing-back Liberato Cacace are progressing well and will be assessed before the contest with the Bluebirds.

"Josh, no, he's still a bit behind Sheafo. Sheafo's had a block of training in pre-season so he hasn't missed the whole of pre-season like Josh but he's getting there," said the Wrexham manager.

"Libby's only missed four or five days really, maybe a touch longer than that so it was more of a fatigue-related injury. Hopefully it's nothing more than that and he'll be back in contention."

Elsewhere, Max Cleworth stepped up his return to full fitness against Wigan Athletic in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Monday.

The centre-back has been carrying an Achilles problem but was joined by the likes of Aaron James, Dan Scarr, Ryan Longman, Ryan Barnett, George Dobson and new signing Ben Whiteman in gaining valuable game time in the 1-0 victory against the Latics.

Davis Keillor-Dunn - who operated in a front three with Bailey Cadamarteri and Harry Ashfield - netted the only goal of the contest.

"It was a really good workout," Parkinson said of the match.

"Often in those games it's getting the tempo and the intensity where you need it to make sure those lads are prepared and we were pleased with the physical data as well as the performance."

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Zak Vyner says the new Championship season feels like a "clean slate" given his injury issues after joining Wrexham during the winter window last term.

The 29-year-old moved to north Wales from Bristol City midway through the 2025-26 campaign but arrived at the Racecourse Ground with a toe injury.

Having broken into Phil Parkinson's side, Vyner then sustained a hamstring issue and missed the final five games of the Championship season.

But Vyner says he is eagerly awaiting the new league campaign after enjoying a first pre-season with the club.

"It's like a clean slate, I fresh feel and ready to go," he said.

"I came in and had a couple of injuries last season, which is abnormal for me anyway.

"So I was just dealing with that and then coming back in and playing in a somewhat unfamiliar position as well.

"But I'm feeling now that I'm ready, bedding in with the lads a little bit more and settling in to the place, setting in to everything at the football club, so I'm really looking forward to what the season has in store for me."

Vyner was deployed in midfield in the latter stages of last season as Wrexham lost the likes of Ben Sheaf and Matty James to injury and George Dobson to suspension.

But he operated in a back three during pre-season, and Vyner believes fans will see his best form now that he has reverted to his preferred role at centre-back.

"It's my most comfortable position, so I feel more at home there," he added.

"It doesn't say that if I have to play in centre-mid that I wouldn't do it or anything like that. I'd give 100% whenever I play on the pitch anywhere, up front, anywhere.

"But I feel more comfortable at centre-half, so hopefully we can see the best version of me there and hopefully that works for us."

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson looks forward to their Monday night Championship opener at Cardiff City.

Image source, Rex Features

George Thomason is targeting a fast start to the new league campaign following his and Wrexham's early struggles in the 2025-26 Championship season.

Thomason joined the Red Dragons from Phil Parkinson's former club Bolton Wanderers last summer but featured just once in Wrexham's opening 10 league games after sustaining a thigh injury.

"It's possibly the worst nightmare as a new signing to come in and get hit with a seven-week-ish injury," he said.

"You almost feel as though you've got another point to prove to your peers and then to the fans.

"So that was really tough, but I think as the season went on and I grew into the team and into new positions and things like that, I was really happy with how my season progressed and finished.

"I've come back in pre-season with the same hunger and desire to want to play well and be even better and I hope that aligns with us all as a squad. We want to go one further and have a really successful season."

Thomason was one of 13 senior signings made by Wrexham last summer on the back of their promotion from League One.

It took the new-look squad time to gel, with Wrexham picking up just four points from their opening five Championship matches last term.

But Parkinson's men settled and ended the campaign in seventh place in the second tier - the club's highest-ever finish.

Thomason, 25, now hopes Wrexham - who start the new Championship campaign at Cardiff City on Monday (20:00 BST) - are better equipped to hit the ground running from the outset this season.

"This time last year there was a lot of change and a lot of new faces coming in, whereas there's been a bit more continuity this time around," he added.

"I think we all have a good feel for each other and not only know each other on the pitch, but have an idea of what everyone's personalities and characteristics are like.

"So I think that can only really benefit us. I think we're all really looking forward to the season."

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