PAUL MULLIN does not see himself as a replacement for Jack Marriott and he believes the duo are capable of playing alongside each other in attack.

Star striker Mullin underwent spinal surgery in the summer to correct a long-term lower-back and hamstring issue, meaning he missed the start of Wrexham'sLeague One campaign.

Marriott took his place up front and scored five goals in the opening 10 games, helping the Reds emerge as one of the pacesetters.

However, Marriott suffered a broken leg following an innocuous incident on the training ground last week and will be out of action for at least four months, meaning Mullin came back into the side at Rotherham United on Saturday for just his second league start of the season.

Mullin scored the only goal after just 16 seconds, taking his tally for the club to 108 since joining in the summer of 2021, but he says it was never an issue having to bide his time with Marriott in such good form.

"I never seen it that way. I always believed that me and Jack could play at the same time," said the 29-year-old.

"I wanted to play every game even when Jack was fit; maybe I wasn't ready but that is just me as a person.

"Jack has been phenomenal and I have had to sit on the bench but it has been a pleasure because we have been winning most weeks."

On his recall to the attack alongside Ollie Palmer at New York Stadium, Mullin added: "I didn't know the team but me playing probably came through very unfortunate circumstances because Jack has been phenomenal for us this season.

"Sometimes people look at it and say 'that is your chance' but that's not the way I seen it.

"I was devastated for Jack because he has been fantastic. It is horrible to see and very innocuous - no-one was near him when it happened.

"You just try and help the team as best you can, whether that is starting or not. I started against Rotherham and helped us win the game but so did everyone else on the pitch.

"I was just the lucky one to get my name on the scoresheet."

Marriott, a League One Golden Boot winner with Peterborough in 2017-18, found chances limited following his arrival at The Racecourse from Fleetwood Town in the winter transfer window.

He opened his Wrexham account in April's 6-0 win against Forest Green Rovers which secured a second promotion in a row and Mullin says his strike partner has shown what he is capable of this term.

"Jack waited a long time last season when he came in to get into the side," said Mullin.

"He scored his first goal at the end of last season and he has picked up where he left off this season.

"He has been a real star for us. It is a dampener but football goes on. We have got to pull together as a set of lads to do as well as we can do make sure that when Jack comes back, we are in a similar position as when he left."