Phil Parkinson answers the Kieffer Moore question every Wrexham fan had during the 2-1 Championship win against Portsmouth at home.
Every Wrexham fan must have took a sigh of relief once the Wrexham 2-1 Portsmouth game got over. Simply put, the final 10 minutes were a tough watch from the Reds point of view with countless Portsmouth chances flowing in. With a bit of misfortune, Phil Parkinson’s men could have ended helpless again as they were when the 2-2 Bristol City equaliser went in last week.
But as they say, fortune favours the brave. Wrexham were more than brave on the night, they split open Portsmouth’s defence with quick link up plays in the first half. Sam Smith’s 1-0 goal also came this way, after Nathan Broadhead left it to Callum Doyle to find the 27-year-old striker in the box.
Soon enough, Sam Smith charged on a counter attack and won a corner. That was converted into the second goal of the night by error-prone defender Max Cleworth. Hands down, Sam Smith dropped a first half masterclass against Portsmouth to drag the Reds to another home win.
Kieffer Moore was dropped vs Portsmouth
Sam Smith netting 1-0 goals for Wrexham is a running Championship theme fans love to see. However, Smith was dull in the FA Cup and away to Bristol City. As a result, Kieffer Moore was brought back from the cold and the Wales international was on song against Ipswich Town.
READ MORE: Wrexham predicted lineup vs Portsmouth: Max Cleworth on the bench?
READ MORE: ‘This season’ – Portsmouth sweating on best player’s fitness like Wrexham
READ MORE: ‘Real blow’ – Wrexham forced to say goodbye to £6.5m starter for 2025/26 season
Facing his former club, Moore gave an early 1-0 headstart to Wrexham, and later found Windass on the 2-1 assist. The Welshman also won the ball in the Ipswich Town box that led to Nathan Broadhead’s late 5-3 goal to seal the three points.
There’s no doubt that Moore loves playing against his former teams, Sheffield United and Ipswich Town. He was even dubbed as the Man of the Match on both occasions.
So, what changed vs Portsmouth all of a sudden. Why did Phil Parkinson drop Kieffer Moore from the starting lineup to face Portsmouth?
Phil Parkinson explains Kieffer Moore’s absence vs Portsmouth
The wait on the Kieffer Moore question is over for Wrexham fans. Boss Phil Parkinson touched upon the 33-year-old striker’s absence following the final whistle and his justification will earn a massive applause from the fanbase.
READ MORE: Wrexham predicted lineup vs Portsmouth: Max Cleworth on the bench?
READ MORE: ‘This season’ – Portsmouth sweating on best player’s fitness like Wrexham
READ MORE: ‘Real blow’ – Wrexham forced to say goodbye to £6.5m starter for 2025/26 season
In his own words, the BBC quoted Phil Parkinson saying: “The energy levels weren’t quite where they needed to be, we’ve had a bit of illness in the camp over the last few days. A few of the lads had it and Sam at half time was feeling ill. Kieffer had already been ill over the last couple of days.”
In the wake of Ben Sheaf’s season ending ligament injury, it’s understandable that Parkinson won’t wish to lose any more key players for longer. Hence, it was wise from him to back Sam Smith and thankfully, the Englishman found the back of the net with a powerful header.
Moreover, Parkinson admitted that Smith was also unwell during the break. That explains why Wrexham appeared toothless up front and had to resort to better defending to save the day.
The Charlton Athletic trip is three days away. Hopefully, both Kieffer Moore and Sam Smith return to peak fitness in time for the kickoff.
READ MORE WREXHAM NEWS HERE:
- Wrexham predicted lineup vs Portsmouth: Max Cleworth on the bench?
- ‘This season’ – Portsmouth sweating on best player’s fitness like Wrexham
- ‘Real blow’ – Wrexham forced to say goodbye to £6.5m starter for 2025/26 season
- Wrexham set for 4 matches in 11 days after Championship announcement
- Wrexham can sign Harry Wilson at current wages (if 3 exits happen)
