Report: Wrexham 2-0 Iron

United were more than in the game, but were beaten 2-0 at title-chasing Wrexham on Tuesday night, edged out by two Paul Mullin penalties.

The Iron entered the game making one change from the side that defeated Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday, as Owen Foster came in for Aaron Chapman, whose partner had gone into labour ahead of the game.

With two minutes gone, Ben Tozer sent in the first long throw of the evening from the left side. Reagan Ogle rose highest and towered a header away, with the referee also awarding a free-kick to the Iron.

Soon after, Ben Richards-Everton headed away a cross from the right, with Tozer poised to send a second long throw into the area. Jordan Tunnicliffe connected from the resultant long throw, but sent his header over the bar.

After seven minutes, the first effort on target went to the Iron as Danny Elliott cushioned a ball into Jacob Butterfield. Both then combined to get the ball to Alfie Beestin who saw his 18-yard effort deflected, but into the gloves of Rob Lainton.

Two minutes later, there was then a big chance for the Iron as Butterfield sent a ball out to Cameron Wilson, who edged his defender off the ball. A half-volley was well saved by Lainton, with Elliott’s rebound trickling towards goal, but just stopped by the Wrexham shot stopper.

Soon after, Ollie Palmer was the beneficiary of a fortuitous ricochet to send him in down the left, but Tom Pugh steamer back to send his cross out of play for a corner. The delivery from Luke Young was wayward and out for a throw on the other side of the pitch.

With 14 minutes played, Harvey Bunker blocked an effort from Bryce Hosannah following a cutback inside the area. The hosts maintained possession, with a whipped ball into the area evading everyone, going out for a goal kick.

Not long after, the Iron seized on a loose ball and fed Bunker. His long range, low effort was deflected and skipped just wide of Lainton’s right-hand post.

Butterfield’s subsequent delivery was met by the hosts, but the referee awarded only the second free-kick of the game in the same vein as the first, as he spotted an aerial infringement.

The hosts hit the crossbar from 45 yards out in the 17th minute as Foster raced out to clear the ball following a ball over the top. The clearance fell to a player in red with the effort going out for a goal kick following a touch off the woodwork.

Soon after, there was a corner to Wrexham following an attack down the right. The ball came into the area, with a tame header watched by Foster as it bounced past his right-hand post.

Then, Tozer’s next throw was headed clear before Wilson won the header on the edge of the box to turn defence into attack. It culminated in Elliott sending a long range deflected effort wide for a corner.

After 23 minutes, Ogle’s throw dropped for Boyce inside the six-yard box, but the defender did enough to get the ball back to the goalkeeper.

The hosts then took the lead a minute later as Paul Mullin was adjudged to have been fouled in the penalty area. The striker stepped up to convert the spot-kick.

Two minutes after that, Elliott controlled on the edge of the box, turned and fired a left-footed effort over the bar - and was then clipped as the ball is released but a goal kick was given.

With 32 minutes gone, there was a good move for the Iron down the right which starter with Ogle and Wilson before Pugh squeezed in a cross from wide-right. Elliott controlled inside the box and teed up the ball, with it eventually ending up in the side-netting.

On 37 minutes, Butterfield turned into space and had a go from 25-yards. His effort moved and swerved, and resulted in Lainton parrying. The Iron chased down the loose ball, winning back possession as Wrexham made a mistake.

Then, Butterfield sent in a low cross for the right, with Elliott lurking. The hosts cleared, but the Iron came forward again, with Ogle sending in another cross.

Beestin soon after stole in possession and Elliott looked to release him immediately on the second touch to break, but he was cynically hauled down by Luke Young.

For the first chance of the second half, on 53 minutes, the hosts won a connection to Tozer’s long throw, this time from the left, but the header went over the bar.

Shortly after, Scunthorpe had their best chance of the game so far as Beestin turned his man from Jake Leake’s throw and teed up Pugh. He took one touch before seeing his 25-yard effort cannon off the inside of the post. Elliott, Butterfield and Bunker all tried to find an opening for the rebound but Wrexham cleared.

At the other end, Mullin looked to hook the ball towards goal from the second phase of play from the corner, but the ball looped up and over the bar.

Jacob Mendy then surged forward down the left channel, as Foster closed down the angle, with the effort flashed across the goal and wide.

There was soon an Iron change as Dion Sembie-Ferris came on for Wilson, which was followed by a double United alteration when Gerry McDonagh and Elliott Whitehouse came on for Butterfield and Pugh.

On 72 minutes, Foster thwarted Palmer as he wriggles free inside the area, with Liam McAlinden skewing the rebound into the side-netting.

The 79th minute saw a big chance for the Iron after patient build-up. Ogle had all the time in the world to pick out Beestin with the cross, with the header palmed away by Lainton before being smashed clear.

Two minutes later, Foster saved a long range shot and dived at Mullin’s feet. He again went down, resulting in a penalty. Although Foster dived the right way, he duly converted it.

Though United kept batting away to try and work an opening, Young came close for Wrexham before the end as his shot from 30-yards clipped the outside of the post and went out for a goal kick.

The Iron return to action when they visit Boreham Wood on Saturday.

WREXHAM: Lainton, Tozer, Tunnicliffe, Young, Palmer (Dalby, 74), Mullin, McAlinden (Davies, 80), Hosannah (Mendy, 22), Jones, Cleworth, Lee.

WREXHAM SUBS: Howard, Cannon.

IRON: Foster, Ogle, Elliott, Boyce, Beestin, Richards-Everton, Butterfield (McDonagh, 71), Wilson (Sembie-Ferris, 63), Leake, Bunker, Pugh (Whitehouse, 71).

IRON SUBS: Feeney, Smith.

ATTENDANCE: 9,915 (244 away).