'Two points dropped' - Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson refuses to blame loss of Arsenal loanee Arthur Okonkwo for Harrogate draw as he gives update on 'dazed' goalkeeper's condition

The Red Dragons were 2-0 up and cruising on a freezing Tuesday night in Yorkshire before it all went wrong. Goals from Andy Cannon and Elliot Lee looked to have set up an easy night but Harrogate grabbed an equaliser on the stroke of half-time then drew level two minutes after the restart to earn an unlikely share of the points. To compound Wrexham's misery, they were forced to withdraw Arsenal loanee Okonkwo at half-time after the goalkeeper took a blow to the jaw.

After the game, Parkinson revealed that Okonkwo had been substituted on the advice of medical staff who felt the player was feeling "dazed", although added that he did not believe the injury to be serious. Parkinson, though, refused to blame the disruption for the result. “That’s not what cost us,” he said. “You can’t fault him [replacement goalkeeper, Mark Howard] for the goal. He had nothing else to do, really."

The Wrexham boss added: "I am very frustrated we haven't won, especially being 2-0 up, but goals change the momentum of games and the crowd came alive after the second goal, and felt they would at least get a draw. Hugely disappointed because I feel it is two points dropped."

Okonkwo has become a key figure for Wrexham, displaying an impressive combination of shot stopping, aerial command and ability with his feet. The 22-year-old Arsenal keeper helped Sturm Graz to second place in the Austrian Bundesliga last season and his loan acquisition has proved astute business for the Red Dragons.

Tuesday night will go down as a missed opportunity for Wrexham but there will be some comfort that teams around them in the promotion chase also dropped points, including pace-setters Stockport County. The focus is now drawn to the FA Cup second round and whether Okonkwo will be fit to make the trip to Yeovil on Sunday.