Wrexham reserves secured a 3-2 win over Stoke City on Tuesday and one player sent a clear message to Phil Parkinson after scoring a hat-trick.
Wrexham’s reserve side featured some familiar faces in the 3-2 win over Stoke City as a mixture of youth and experience took to the field at Clayton Wood.
Jacob Mendy appeared for the first time since sustaining an Achilles injury in April’s 2-1 win over Colchester United. The Gambian started as a left wing-back and was replaced by youngster Tom Kelly on the hour mark.
First-team outcasts Anthony Forde and Billy Water also featured against the Potters but it was another who stole the headlines, as forward Jake Bickerstaff fired home a hat-trick.
Jake Bickerstaff sends clear message to Phil Parkinson
Wrexham have played three matches this campaign, beating Wycombe Wanderers, losing to Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup and drawing against Bolton Wanderers.
Young striker Bickerstaff hasn’t made the bench for any of those matches as speculation over his future continues.
On Tuesday, he had an opportunity to impress in a reserve league game with the 22-year-old doing exactly that by scoring a hat-trick.
67' Willox is replaced by Bickerton.
🔴⚪️ 1-2 ⚫️
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 20, 2024
It’s been a tough period for Bickerstaff, who doesn’t know where his future lies at the moment, although bagging three goals will have surely sent a clear message to Parkinson.
The Wrexham boss has previously described the Englishman as a ‘clinical’ finisher after scoring two in his opening three League Two matches last term.
Sadly, his first-team joy was short-lived because as soon as Paul Mullin returned, he only featured for 17 minutes in the league and was loaned out to Accrington Stanley in January, where he scored once in 10 appearances.
Bickerstaff needs to be loaned out
Unlike Waters – who Wrexham should be looking to offload permanently – Bickerstaff has the potential to become a solid striker.
That means the club should be looking to loan him out for a full season, with a League Two side surely willing to take him.
Despite scoring a hat-trick for the reserves, it’s near impossible for him to break into the first-team at Wrexham, as there are multiple players above him in the pecking order.
Mullin, Steven Fletcher, Ollie Palmer, Jack Marriott and Sam Dalby – who started in the loss to Sheffield United – are all preferred to Bickerstaff.
Ultimately, the youngster just needs to be playing regular football and that is a wish that can’t be granted at Wrexham, with a loan the most sensible option in the final 10 days of the window.
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