Wrexham secured an impressive 3-0 victory away at Millwall's The Den, with manager Phil Parkinson delighted with his side's performance as the summer transfer window drew to a close.
The first half proved a cagey affair, with neither team able to register a shot on target. However, Wrexham broke the deadlock in the 28th minute when Issa Kabore's cross took a deflection off Sturge and looped into the Millwall net.
The Red Dragons doubled their advantage shortly after the interval when Kieffer Moore, the Wales international, unleashed a spectacular strike from 20 yards to put the visitors firmly in control. Left wing-back Ekomie then completed the scoring with his first goal for the club, sealing a comfortable victory for Parkinson's side.
Speaking after the match, Parkinson reflected on how far his team had come since their previous visit to the same ground last season. "We won here last year, and that was a strong performance, but I think today was a performance of far more quality," he said. "It showed where the team has progressed to. These are a good side, Millwall, they're a hard team to play at home and away. I thought we controlled the game for long periods tonight."
Moore's goal was his second of the campaign, following an earlier strike in a 1-1 draw against his former club Cardiff City on the opening weekend of the season. The forward's performance against Millwall drew particular praise from his manager, who highlighted the physical battle the striker faced against a trio of towering Millwall centre-backs.
"Kieffer was good, wasn't he?" Parkinson remarked. "He's up against three 6ft 5in centre-backs. That's tough. He gets battered from pillar to post. But he kept the ball, his ball retention was really good and he deserved that goal today."
The result will provide a significant confidence boost for Wrexham as they continue to build on their recent progress under Parkinson's guidance. Having already shown promise with a hard-fought draw against Cardiff earlier in the season, this dominant display away from home against a tough Millwall outfit under Alex Neil suggests the club is moving in the right direction.
For Millwall, the defeat will be a disappointing setback as they look to establish themselves in what promises to be a competitive campaign. Neil's side struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the match and were ultimately undone by a combination of a fortunate deflection, a moment of individual brilliance from Moore, and a clinical finish from Ekomie.
Parkinson's comments about the closure of the transfer window suggest a sense of relief and stability now that his squad is settled heading into the coming weeks of fixtures. With key contributors like Moore already making an impact both defensively and offensively, Wrexham will hope to carry this momentum forward as they continue their push through the season.
The victory at The Den represents one of the club's most complete performances in recent memory, according to Parkinson, and offers an early indication of the quality within this Wrexham squad as they aim to build on last season's achievements.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.