Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney hit back at Barnet goalkeeper over red card tweet

Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have hit out at Barnet goalkeeper Laurie Walker for his role in the Welsh side having a man sent off.

Wrexham's bid for automatic promotion to the football league hit a bump in the road as they were held to a goalless draw away at Barnet.

The National League play-off chasers were always going to be tough opponents, but Wrexham's task was made harder when Callum McFadzean was sent off five minutes into the second half.

The defender was shown a straight red card when he challenged Barnet goalkeeper Walker for the ball. The Wrexham man's boot appeared to make slight contact with the keeper's head, and he was visibly shocked when given his marching orders.

After the match, Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson accused Walker of exaggerating the contact and getting his player sent off.

"I'm not happy with the role that the referee played in the sending off, first of all," he said.

"I mean that's a soft red card, it's his trailing leg, there's no real intent there and for me, [the referee] has got it wrong.

"I thought the goalkeeper made a meal out of it in all honesty and obviously, that influences the referee's decision. I'm frustrated for Callum because I thought he was excellent, it was his first game for a long time and he played really well.

Walker took exception to the accusation that he faked being seriously hurt, and sent a rather provocative tweet to Wrexham's Hollywood owners.

He said: "@VancityReynolds how's my acting skills mate, think I could play a part in your next film. I think your gaffer thinks I could."

Reynolds himself simply replied: "Oof". McElhenney meanwhile said: "I thought ‘own goals’ could only happen during the actual game" after the goalkeeper deleted his original post.

Ryan Reynolds’s response to a now deleted tweet from Barnet Goalkeeper Laurie Walker 😅

Never change, @VancityReynolds 😆

#WrexhamAFC #WrexhamFX #WxmAFC#WelcomeToWrexham pic.twitter.com/4pyPgqHE71

— The Wrexham Talk (@TheWrexhamTalk) April 15, 2023

When interviewed at full-time, the goalkeeper defended himself.

"He [Wrexham manager Parkinson] was trying to say I was cheating, but I'm sure you guys can evidently see the guys come through and kick me straight in the face so that's all I'm going to say on it," Walker said.

Notts County's 3-0 win against Woking cut Wrexham's lead at the top of the table to a single point, although the Welsh side do have a game in hand.

After beating their automatic promotion challengers 3-2 in a thrilling contest on Easter Monday, Wrexham will secure a return to League Two if they win their next two games against Yeovil on Tuesday and Boreham Wood next weekend.