PHIL PARKINSON praised members of staff and volunteers who helped clear snow off the pitch to ensure Wrexham's National League game against Southend United at The Racecourse went ahead.

The wintry weather put Saturday's clash in doubt but it was given the green light after people spent hours working on ensuring the surface was playable.

Parkinson, who also played his part in shovelling snow off the pitch, was eager for the match to get the all clear so that leaders Wrexham could continue the automatic promotion challenge and his side won 1-0 to remain four points ahead of Notts County with nine games to go.

"The men and women of the match are everyone who turned up at 6am," said Parkinson.

"All the staff and people from the outside who came in and worked so hard to get the game on. It was an incredible effort.

"On Friday morning, if you had told me the game was going to be on....it was very doubtful.

"This is what the club is all about; when I came in there was a real feeling of community and togetherness, everybody doing their bit to help this club achieve the ultimate goal.

"It was so important we got the game on because there are not many Tuesdays between us and Southend to fit the game in so congratulations and thank you to everybody.

"That was a huge effort from everybody."

The difficult conditions meant it was far from a classic but Wrexham secured victory after Southend goalkeeper Steve Arnold flapped at Ben Tozer's cross and spilled the ball into his own net in the 38th minute.

Winning was all that mattered to Parkinson in the title race and he felt the dogged performance mirrored the tremendous efforts which allowed the game to go ahead.

"Through the course of the season, you are going to win lots of different types of games," said Parkinson.

"Different systems, different styles of teams, different conditions and it means a lot because it is a performance where I feel everybody in Wrexham really pulled together.

"The office staff and senior members of staff were in trying to get the game on and I thought the lads reflected that.

"It is important we did that in the performance; it is about everybody doing that extra bit to help the club be successful and it is a good day for us for many reasons."