WORDS of advice from his manager paid off and Elliott Durrell hopes his stunning strike against Hartlepool is the first of many more goals for Wrexham this season.

Durrell, who arrived at The Racecourse for a second spell in the summer, scored the only goal as the Reds ended a run of four games without a win by beating Pools 1-0 at Victoria Park on Tuesday.

A long ball forward was nodded down by Kwame Thomas and into the path of Durrell who found the top corner of the net from just outside the area.

It was a result of doing what Reds’ boss Dean Keates has been telling him to do when he isn’t in possession as Durrell, lining up on the left flank, ran inside anticipating a second ball.

“That’s where I find my strength is, coming in off the line,” said Durrell.

“Credit to the gaffer, he has been telling me for weeks and weeks to just keep gambling inside. He said: ‘I want you picking up those second balls in that area where I know that you have got the quality to score’, and he has come up trumps.

“I have come in off the line and credit to Kwame, he has headed it down into a great area and when I am in that position, I am only thinking about one thing.

“Thankfully it has gone in the top corner.

“A goal is a goal, I would take it if it went in off my backside but when you score a goal like that, it is always one to savour.”

Durrell, who was desperate to get that vital first goal since re-joining Wrexham, would love another against Aldershot at The Racecourse tomorrow.

“When you come back to a club of this stature, it is important to get your first goal and thankfully it has come,” said Durrell.

"I was finding myself in those positions picking up second balls and I had two that were blocked.

"But the one in the second half, there was nobody stopping me hitting the target there.

“I will be looking to build on it against Aldershot.”

Durrell struck in the 54th minute after Wrexham made a strong start to the second half and the Reds held on for victory after soaking up a lot of late pressure from the home side.

“We stood strong and we were resolute,” said Durrell. “That shows how we have got to be as a team.

“We had to batten down the hatches and defend, and we did that to a man.”

Wrexham suffered three successive defeats before drawing 0-0 with Barnet on October 27, their last outing for three weeks as two matches were postponed under Covid-19 protocols.

Durrell was delighted to end the winless run and wants to build on that result against Aldershot.

“After one of the pre-season games where we lost, I said there are going to be times in the season where things don’t go our way,” he added.

“It is just important that we stop the run of games where we don’t win as quick as possible.

“We got a draw and a clean sheet against Barnet, and it was huge to come away to a place like this and get three points and a clean sheet

“It is a platform that we build on now, go again on Saturday and get another win.”