Welcome to Wrexham – Season 2 Episode 11 “Yn Codi” Recap & Review

Yn Codi

The Wrexham men’s team is still neck-and-neck with Notts County (in March of 2023). The women’s team, however, is far ahead in their league. They’re aiming for the first undefeated season for any team in Wrexham history, men or women. The club’s goal is to help the women become the best team in Wales as soon as possible. It all starts with getting them to play at the Racecourse, and hopefully breaking an attendance record for Women’s football in Wales. Then, of course, promotion.

The players are slightly anxious and definitely excited as they prepare to play for a crowd of around 7,000. It means a great deal to all of them. Lili- and Rosie in fact, talk about how proud Lili’s father would be. He has a donation stone with his name engraved in the stadium. They greet the fans as they flock to the Racecourse.

The match against Connah’s Quay gets underway. The actual attendance on the day is 9,511. Consider the record smashed. Wrexham scores in the 5th minute. Connah’s Quay equalizes in the 10th. Mia Roberts is subbed in and immediately amps up the crowd. But the game stays tied 1-1 through nearly the whole game. But of course, Rosie Hughes unleashes her power on a breakaway and scores. They get their undefeated season. Rosie describes the post-game emotions, seeing the joy in thousands of faces. Rob and Ryan are a full and accepted part of the celebration.

Millie speaks with a friend at the Turf about the women’s league. He’s (understandably) a little confused about why they still have to play a game to get promoted after winning their league. Millie’s just happy they won. Humphrey lays out the need to beat the southern division as well as the true stakes of losing this game. There’d be a loss of momentum and interest (money), and because of their success, bigger teams are taking notice. They could lose their best players to the Adran Premier League or the English system.

The pressure is higher than it’s ever been for their game against Briton Ferry. Both teams are rock solid. While Wrexham’s offense had carried them to this game, it’s their defensive skills that carry them in this championship match. Del Morgan, the keeper, delivers a particularly incredible performance. Rosie crosses in a ball hard fought over, and Rebecca Pritchard scores. The rest of the game is tense, but Morgan saves the day. Wrexham wins and secures promotion to the Genero Premier League. Gemma lets out some well-earned tears.

In the final, celebratory image, “Yn codi” is revealed to mean “rise.”

The Episode Review

It feels good to be back with the players of the women’s team. Something about their passion is so present in all their footage. It’s contagious. Their team is so good it almost makes the anticipation less exciting, but the way everyone turns out for the match is heartening. The meaning of the match makes up for the near inevitability of their win. Hearing Rosie talk about Lili is almost as wholesome as watching Lili be greeted at the stadium by Rob McElhenney.

A tie game at any point comes as a surprise.  The game staying tied nearly the whole time was an even bigger surprise. What happened to the absolutely dominant force the team was earlier in the season? Perhaps the nerves and the pressure became a factor? Maybe Connah’s Quay is the real deal as well. But of course, Rosie to the rescue! Rob twirling Lili around is adorable. Rob and Ryan accidentally interrupted her interview, which felt a little sad. Nothing though, could overshadow the joy, and Lili finally hugging her mom is tear-inducing.

There’s a sort of star veteran/star rookie dynamic between Rosie and Lili and it’s endearing. The chemistry of the women’s team and the many moments of joy they share have to be the reason their episodes feel so particularly good to watch. Most of what we see of the men’s team off the pitch is in the locker room, or in individual interviews. It harkens back to the beauty of seeing the Wrexham men’s keepers getting on so well. The controversy around Ben Foster took some of that spotlight.

Humphrey’s worries about losing suddenly make the stakes feel massive. The relatively thin margin of their last victory has made winning seem like much less of a sure thing. Indeed, their final game is extremely hard-fought. It can’t be overstated how much better game footage feels when the highlights cover more than just goals and almost goals. Watching a play develop into a goal, and seeing intense saves, and collisions, sell the anxiety of actually watching a game. Pritchard’s goal, as well as a great many of Super Del Morgan’s saves were gasp-inducing.

Welcome to Wrexham is at its best when it allows football to take the league, and all of the heartstring-tugging moments are able to evolve from that simple center. With this amount of content, the show has done a remarkable job of keeping things interesting thus far. Episodes like these though, will always be the cream of the crop. Rise, women of Wrexham.