IT was a case of keeping up with the Cleworths as far as Ryan Barnett was concerned!

Barnett scored his first goal for Wrexham in Tuesday's 4-1 win against Crawley Town at The Racecourse which keeps Phil Parkinson's side on course for automatic promotion from League Two. 

It came three days after the Reds came from behind to beat Colchester United 2-1 when young centre-back Max Cleworth scored a late winner.

That was Cleworth's first league goal for Wrexham and Barnett, brought in from Solihull Moors in February 2023, thought it was about time he joined his team-mate in getting off the mark as the wing-back got on the end of Elliot Lee's cross to put his side 1-0 up.

"I saw Max score on Saturday and I just wanted to level him because he has been bantering me about it so it was a good feeling to score," said Barnett.

"It was really good, apart from it went in off my face so that wasn't great!

"The gaffer has been talking about the wing-backs getting in at the back post.

"The last few weeks I have been getting on the end of things and it's just not dropped my way but I got myself in there and gambled, and luckily it went in."

But Barnett says victory was the priority in the quest for a top-three finish.

"It was all about the three points," said Barnett. "We knew how much of a big game it was.

"The gaffer had a game-plan and I think we perfected it really well. We worked our socks off, every man was brilliant.

"We had to be switched on for the full 90 minutes and we were apart from the goal at the end which we are very disappointed about."

Paul Mullin scored his 100th goal for Wrexham at Colchester when he headed home Barnett's cross to put the Reds back on level terms.

The top scorer bagged another two goals against Crawley to take his tally for the season to 23, with Barnett full of admiration for his team-mate.

"It was good to assist Paul's 100th goal for the club which is a ridiculous stat for how many games he's played," he added.

"He is a brilliant player. Every time we put a ball in the box or in behind, you know he is going to get on the end of it.

"It is brilliant to have a player like that in your side."