Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson speaks out after tempers boil over and James McClean is pelted with projectiles during heated Shrewsbury derby clash

The Red Dragons headed to Croud Meadow for a cross-border derby date with local rivals. Emotions were always going to run high in a League One contest that had plenty riding on it, and so it proved as the hosts secured a hard-fought 2-1 win.

McClean, as is customary, was targeted for abuse at regular intervals by the home support – with security staff having to step in at one stage as projectiles rained down on him from the crowd. The ex-Republic of Ireland international also lost his cool in the closing stages when being denied a corner – leading to him collecting a yellow card.

Parkinson says the 35-year-old wing-back will not be dwelling on the incidents as he is accustomed to receiving such treatment. Wrexham’s manager told Sky Sports: "He's fine. James is used to it wherever he goes. Fans get on his back home and away and sometimes it can be tough and spill over but he is used to it."

Steven Fletcher ensured that Wrexham went into half-time at 1-1, but John Marquis’ second goal of the game – which was netted on the rebound after Arthur Okonkwo saved his second-half penalty – wrapped up all three points for Shrewsbury.

Parkinson admitted his side were well short of their best, saying of the tough questions that they will now have to face: "We’ve had a lot of good times and had a lot of praise but tonight we deserve to get criticism because the level of our performance wasn’t where it needed to be but we will take that criticism together as a group and come out and respond next week."

Wrexham, who missed the chance to reclaim second place in the League One table, will be hoping to get their promotion bid back on track next Tuesday when playing host to table-topping Birmingham in the second instalment of what has been billed as the ‘Hollywood Derby’ – with it possible that Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Tom Brady will be in North Wales for that fixture.