Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson says it is hard to predict when star striker Paul Mullin will be back to his best.
Mullin returned as a substitute as Wrexham beat Doncaster Rovers on Saturday thanks to a late winner from “little magician” Elliot Lee.
Mullin, 28, had been out since July with a punctured lung.
Asked when Mullin will be back to peak form, Parkinson replied: “Difficult question, but I thought he looked sharp when he came on.”
The Wrexham boss added: “For 30 minutes he put a really good shift for the team. He’s a fit lad.”
Mullin scored 46 goals in all competitions in 2022-23 as Wrexham won promotion to end a 15-year absence from the Football League.
But the former Cambridge forward suffered what was a worrying injury during Wrexham’s pre-season tour to the United States.
Veteran ex-Scotland striker Steven Fletcher also came off the bench against Doncaster after signing on the eve of the game.
But Lee stole the headlines after Doncaster’s Modou Faal cancelled out Luke Young’s opener.
“He’s a little magician, Elliot,” said Parkinson.
“He’s got real magic in his boots and you see that time and time again with him.
“There won’t too many that’s got as many goals as Elliot, basically from a deeper position, which he’s played for us, but you always feel that when he gets in around the box something’s going to happen.”
Parkinson signed Fletcher on a free transfer following Wrexham’s deadline-day failure to buy Luke Armstrong from Harrogate.
“I think with Fletch, he showed some moments of quality, but equally showed some game management as well,” said Parkinson.
“He won a great header on the back stick from a set-play, kept the ball in the corner towards the end and yeah, obviously very pleased with the signing of Steven.
“He played a lot of games last year and was a shining light really in a very difficult-to-see season for Dundee United. I felt we needed another striker in the building of real quality.
“You can never have enough strikers at your disposal and Fletcher showed today that he is going to make a big contribution.”
