Report: Wrexham 3-1 Iron

The Iron were knocked out of the Isuzu FA Trophy after defeat away at Wrexham in the third round, a game in which United took the lead initially.

t was a game which commenced 45 minutes later than initially planned (8.30pm instead of 7.45pm) after the team coach was caught up in extreme traffic conditions whilst travelling across the country.

Alfie Beestin won the Iron’s first attacking set-piece of the game, cutting inside down the left-hand side before being hauled down by the Wrexham defender.

Jacob Butterfield took the eighth-minute set-piece, opting to shoot, which was parried away by Wrexham ‘keeper Rob Lainton before a step inside from Rob Apter was blazed over after he picked up the loose ball.

A minute later, Apter seized again on an opening down the right-hand side. He drove forward into the area before squaring a simple ball to Caolan Lavery, he ran onto it to slot in his fifth Iron goal of the season after nine minutes.

Wrexham carved a chance of their own after 15 minutes. A ball through the middle was picked up on by Jake Bickersraff, who dragged his opening wide of the mark.

The Red Dragons made a move again a minute later, with full-back Reece Hall-Johnson floating in a ball for Jacob Mendy who guided it wide.

17-year-old Owen Foster was called into action in the 20thminute. Sam Dalby went low, but straight down the middle, for Foster to easily claim his first save of the evening.

Butterfield looked to get the Iron going again in the 25thminute, sending a pin-point ball across the field towards Lavery who ended up thwarted by the defence. Beestincontinued to drive the attack after picking up the ball and winning a free-kick, which Apter sent over.

Butterfield was again at the centre of attack in the 29th minute when a drilled effort from distance snuck past Lainton’s post wide.

Cutting in from the left in the 31st minute, Dalby then took aim after beating his marker in Beestin, but the effort was just over the crossbar with Foster seeing it all the way in the end.

Wrexham hit back in the 33rd minute when a throw-in was seized upon by the Red Dragons. Bickerstaff weaved his way through the box before dispatching it low into the far side of the net.

Captain Jordan Tunnicliffe latched onto a set-piece from the left-hand side in the 40th minute for Wrexham, glancing a firm connection wide of the goal.

It was a more conserved start to the second half for both sides, with Wrexham executing the first real chance of note in the 54th minute.

Tom O’Connor played Dalby in down the right, with the winger cutting back inside to let loose on a curling effort which found the stand. 

The Iron were on the front foot in the 57th minute when Laverypicked up the ball in the middle before starting the counterattack. 

He opted to go with Apter down the right, with Butterfieldalso making the run to his left, but the winger did well to drive inwards past his man to rifle his right-footed attempt over.

The winger hit the target just five minutes later when Beestinfed the ball to him down the right. Apter again beat Mendy, this time by going on the outside and testing the ‘keeper.

Foster was then called into action in the 65th minute, when nice play down the left from Wrexham saw an opening for the hosts. The ‘keeper dealt with the first effort before dropping onto the loose ball to tidy up for the Iron.

It was midfielder Tom Pugh’s driving run which unlocked the Wrexham defence in the 69th minute, after initially playing in Apter down the right to start the move. The winger fed the midfielder in the box perfectly, with Pugh opting to go low and hard which Lainton dealt with.

Hall-Johnson poked Wrexham ahead in the 71st minute. The Iron’s strong protests for a foul on the United ‘keeper was waved away by an adamant Aaron Jackson.

Colin Daniel found himself deep in the Wrexham area after picking up the ball down the left-hand side in the 85th minute. His goal bound shot was blocked by Lennon though and followed up with by the Wrexham defence.

Wrexham wrapped the game up in additional time when substitute Elliot Lee’s shot from distance flew into the net.

WREXHAM: Lainton, Hall-Johnson (87’ Forde), Cleworth, Tunnicliffe, Lennon, Mendy (72’ McAlinden), J. Jones, Cannon (64’ Lee), O’Connor, Dalby, Bickerstaff.

UNUSED SUBS: Watson, Butler, Young, Palmer.

IRON: Foster, Beestin, Rowe, Lavery (78’ Poulter), Taft, Butterfield © (81’ Wilson), Shrimpton, Daniel, Apter, Gallimore, Pugh.

UNUSED SUBS: Dewhurst, O’Malley, Hallam, Carver.

ATTENDANCE: 5,080 (47 Iron fans.)