PHIL PARKINSON admits it was a "great feeling" when the final whistle blew against Barnsley to make it a hat-trick of home wins inside 11 days against teams in the top half of League One.

Ollie Rathbone struck in the 92nd minute to sink the Tykes who went into the game sitting sixth in the table.

Wrexham also triumphed 1-0 against Lincoln, who are challenging for the play-offs, the previous Tuesday while the Reds began the run of three successive Racecourse outings with a 3-0 victory over 11th placed Exeter.

Although the Reds boast the best home record in the division, Parkinson admits his side had some tough tests so he was delighted to emerge with nine points.

"You say we've got three home games coming up but when we looked at them, we thought they are going to be big tests for us," he said.

"The style of the last two teams and Exeter have got the ability to beat top teams - they won at Bolton - so we are absolutely delighted.

"It was a great feeling at the end when the whistle went. The whole ground erupted and on a really cold night, the fans have gone home happy."

Parkinson believes Wrexham deserved their dramatic late winner as a reward for being resilient in a tight encounter.

"When you have the games at home back-to-back like we've had, it becomes harder because teams respect our home record and come with a game-plan to make it as difficult as possible for us and you saw that," he said.

“Barnsley were resolute, they put the ball into areas, tried to pin us back as a team, and didn't take too many risks at the back so the games are hard. 

"They are going to be because teams have got respect for what we’ve done here, not just over the last few weeks but over the last few years.

“But we found a way by being resilient as a group, doing all the horrible things in football you’ve got to do – blocking shots, winning headers in our own box when it really mattered – and we deserved to get that moment at the end.

"It's difficult to win these games, you've got to find a way of unlocking the door and we did with a moment of pure quality."

Eoghan O'Connell, who was outstanding in defence, played a superb pass to Rathbone who ran at goal before unleashing a shot which beat goalkeeper Ben Killip.

Victory enabled Wrexham to narrow the gap on leaders Wycombe to two points.

“We said to the lads before the game – and reiterated at half-time – that the type of game it was, it would be just a moment to separate the teams and could we be the team which produces it, and we did that with an unbelievable goal.

"A brilliant pass from Eoghan who not only defended well, he passed the ball so well from the back.

"I think everyone thought Ollie was going to slide one of the strikers in but he's hit a brilliant shot and that's his second goal for us. 

"Ollie's getting better every week and he has capped off an outstanding performance with a brilliant goal.”