Wrexham’s goalless draw with Leyton Orient saw the Dragons slip down the League One standings, falling behind Tom Brady’s Birmingham City. Brady's club was also the last to defeat Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s club on Sept. 16, ending the team's four-game win streak.
Wrexham struggled at Gaughan Group Stadium as Leyton Orient dominated the first 60 minutes, forcing the Dragons to play more defensively. The O's were in striking distance just two minutes into the game but failed to convert the shot that went wide of the post.
Leyton Orient continued their thirst for a goal just fourteen minutes later, with Sean Clare's shot sailing over the crossbar. The club missed all nine of their chances with only one shot registered on goal against Wrexham, who had two shots on goal during the game.
As fatigue set in for both sides, the match slowed, with neither team able to capitalize on late opportunities. Clare then endured an injury nearing the end of the first half, seeing the team's tactics change after Jordan Brown replaced him. Despite the draw, Leyton Orient fans celebrated the result on social media, proud of taking a point off one of the league’s top contenders. Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens also praised his squad’s performance, especially in the first half.
"I thought we dominated the first half and should have been 3-0 up," Wellens reflected after the game. "For 20 minutes in the second half, we were outstanding, but after a few forced changes in the last 20 minutes, if there was one team that looked like winning, it was probably them," he admitted.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson confessed that his side didn't play to the best of their abilities. "It’s a valuable point on our travels. Were we at our best in the early exchanges? Probably not, but we stuck at it," he said after the game. "The lads have dug deep today. And any point you get in this league, especially away, is hard-earned and we’re pleased with it."
ESPN Bet had Leyton Orient as 0.5-goal favorites going into the match. The draw concerned Wrexham fans, as the then-top team in League One was matched by the team in 18th place coming off a shaky run with only two wins in their last five league matches.
Before their Sept. 16 matchup against Birmingham City, Wrexham took to social media for some banter to stir things up between the celebrity owners. The club recruited Eli Manning into the fold, posting a photo of him wearing a Wrexham shirt with the caption, "We are honored that Eli Manning has coincidentally [because Co-chairmen Rob McElhenney and Ryan begged him] joined the Wrexham fanbase, just in time for our match over at Tom Brady's Birmingham on Monday night."
Brady responded to the post in good fun by flaunting one of his seven Super Bowl trophies, claiming he couldn’t find the other six. He asked Wrexham’s co-owners to educate their fanbase on NFL history, reminding everyone that he has had the most Super Bowls in NFL history.
