GOALS win games but fantastic defending from front-to-back ensured Wrexham left Rotherham United with three points.

Phil Parkinson's side clinched a hard-fought 1-0 win against the Millers at New York Stadium to remain second in League One, two points behind big spending leaders Birmingham City.

The Reds got off to the perfect start with Paul Mullin, back in the side after leading scorer Jack Marriott suffering a broken leg in training last Thursday and facing at least four months on the sidelines, putting his side in front after just 16 seconds.

That meant Wrexham had a long time to protect their lead after scoring their fastest goal of the season but they did so brilliantly.

It's not as though the visitors sat back after Mullin bagged his third goal of the campaign and first in the league but there was always going to be a reaction from Rotherham with practically the whole match remaining after going behind.

The Millers, who were relegated from the Championship last term, enjoyed spells of pressure where they put the Reds under the cosh but every player stood up to the plate.

Wrexham defended from the front and while Mullin got the goal, he and Ollie Palmer - who has signed a contract extension keeping him at The Racecourse until the summer of 2026 - put in real shifts for the team and worked tirelessly from the front.

Inevitably, Rotherham got into some good positions but Wrexham, who also had chances, dug deep and dealt with everything thrown at that.

That resolute defending enabled the Reds to pick up a second away win of the season and Parkinson couldn't have been prouder of his players.

"It was a gritty, resilient, away from home performance and a good test for us," said Parkinson.

"Getting the early goal was terrific for us but the all-round discipline of the team, fighting spirit and quality when it was needed was really good.

"Rotherham were a team who were in the Championship last season, they have got a lot of powerful players in the team and I thought for the majority of the game we coped really well.

"It was a controlled performance both with and without the ball.

"The lads knew their roles and responsibilities but it is not just knowing them, it is putting them into practice every minute of the game and not just the lads who started, I thought the subs who came on did terrifically well too.

"It is a hard earned three points but when do you win on your travels and it's not like that?"

The defence was singled out for praise as Wrexham kept a sixth clean sheet in 11 league games.

"The back three were very good," added Parkinson.

"Dan Scarr was faultless in the middle of that back three and we needed them to be because Rotherham put a lot of balls in the box, and we had to defend well.

"We were physical but we did it with an air of calmness which is important."

It was a tough test that Wrexham passed with flying colours because they could easily have caved in with the amount of pressure they were put under.

The Reds are made of stem stuff and while The Racecourse has once again been a fortress this season with the Reds boasting a 100 per cent record, Parkinson's men will have to pick up results on their travels to maintain the lofty league position.

There will be many other days like that this season and while goals will be conceded along the way, you'd always back Wrexham to score themselves at the other end with the firepower they've got - even with Marriott facing a long lay-off.