Former Peterborough United and Hull City striker - and Final Score pundit - Aaron McLean gives his five takeaways following Saturday's action in the Championship, League One and League Two. Wrexham ended Southampton's five-match unbeaten run by winning 2-1 to claim their first home win of the season. Expectations remain high in north Wales, such is the public profile of the club and the investment into the squad but they have been an inconsistent prospect so far this campaign.
McLean: "Do I think Wrexham are a candidate for automatic promotion? Probably not, but that win against Southampton will give them huge confidence. "That was only their second win of the season and they have probably come under pressure for the first time.
Last season they were outstanding and, personally I think overachieved and the level of expectation has risen as a result but the team has not quite lived up to it. "To beat Southampton, as one of the in-form teams in the division, will do them and Phil Parkinson no end of good. "They need to be more clinical.
You look at West Ham – 22 goals; Middlesbrough – 16 goals. You look at the top end of the pitch and they have the players who can find ways to kill games off. "Wrexham have drawn four games because they have not been able to kill games off but, if they are in the shake-up, I would not bet against their owners in January saying, 'right, let's go and get the missing piece of the puzzle'." Wrexham earn last-gasp victory over Southampton Given Preston's predicament towards the foot of the Championship, QPR may well feel their 2-2 draw was two points dropped but they fought back from 2-0 down and Dennis Cirkin's red card in the 15th minute to claim a draw at Loftus Road.
Julien Stephan's R's are fifth in the Championship table and remain firmly in the promotion mix. McLean: "I have been so impressed with QPR. I think they have been outstanding and they can genuinely stay around the play-off places.
"Glen Kamara in the middle of the park is an outstanding player who I think could play in the Premier League. Their recruitment has been first class. "With the squad they have got, I really like the look of them this season.
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