Match Report: Wrexham 3-0 York City

A shock result was avoided by Wrexham, as they inflicted a 3-0 defeat upon York City to remain in complete control of the Vanarama National League.

A shock result was avoided by Wrexham, as they inflicted a 3-0 defeat upon York City to remain in complete control of the Vanarama National League.

It would have felt like a long time coming for the home faithful, having watched their side fail to convert numerous chances throughout a dominant first half, but the opener did come three minutes before the break.

A hopeful long range rocket from James Jones turned out to be the key, rebounding back off the crossbar and then unluckily off the head of York stopper Ryan Whitley and presumably across the goalline, despite the referee's hesitation before awarding the goal.

he Minstermen will have been disappointed to allow three goals, having been only one down heading into the final ten minutes, before Sam Dalby and Elliot Lee added to the tally to seal the victory.

Making an unexpected return to the Racecourse following a successful 18 years away, goalkeeper Ben Foster was fired straight into the lineup, in the only change for the hosts.

Michael Morton made a double change to his Minstermen side, with new signing Danny Rowe and captain Lenell John-Lewis joining the team, in place of fellow attackers Manny Duku and Shaqai Forde.

Buoyed by an electric atmosphere within the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham were the first side to try for goal, Paul Mullin breaking into the six-yard box, but dinking the ball just over the crossbar, an opportunity which arguably should have converted to a goal.

York had a few odd breaks forward within the opening ten minutes, nothing major to trouble Foster, while as expected, the Red Dragons rung alarm bells for their visitors, coming even closer to the opener with a Ryan Barnett low effort from the edge of the area, which agonizingly rebounded back off the post.

Moments later, Mullin had the crowd on their feet again, half-celebrating as the striker rose highest at the back stick to head towards the target, yet only to watch it float narrowly wide of Ryan Whitley's goalframe.

Passing the twenty minute mark, the visitors continued to frustrate their opponents, likely the plan for them, with Whitley pulling off a decent save to prevent Elliot Lee's low strike in from the left, before another hopeful shot from the 28-year-old drifted quite some distance over the demolished Kop end.

The building site which was previously the Kop received another match ball about ten minutes later, with wing-back Jacob Mendy arriving at the back stick, and practically producing a carbon copy of Mullin's headed miss.

The first real opportunity for the Minstermen evolved nine minutes short of the break, through forward Danny Rowe, as a good bit of play worked the ball over to City's new man, though all he could muster was a driven attempt wide of the mark, to ironic cheers from the Wrexham faithful.

But finally, after so much trying, the league leaders managed to find the opener, however not in the neatest way.

James Jones' eye for goal proved fortunate three minutes before the interval, rocketing one from distance which fiercely rattled the crossbar, but then bouncing back off the head of Whitley, with the referee briefly hesitating to confirm the ball had in fact crossed the line, despite the York stopper's best efforts to prevent it.

That one-goal advantage was so nearly doubled only a couple of minutes after returning from half time, Mullin's burst into the box eventually forcing Whitley to palm away from danger.

Ex-England international Foster was also required to make his first proper save back in a Wrexham shirt, just past the hour mark - a Ryan Fallowfield tame driven shot was fairly easily held by the experienced 'keeper.

Mitch Hancox also tried to trouble the stopper, but he was equal to the midfielder's low effort with a decent save.

There seemed to be some desire around the Racecourse for the Reds to put the game to bed, as one goal just wasn't safe enough, and those wishes came true thanks to super sub Sam Dalby, ten minutes from time.

A long throw-in from the right was latched onto by Dalby, the first man, who glanced home into the far corner with ease to give the Minstermen an even more difficult challenge of getting back into it.

However, that task was nearly halved, down to an error from 39-year-old Foster, blasting his clearance into his own player, but thankfully for him, York failed to capitalise.

Heading into four minutes of added time, there was still a very slight chance for the well-followed away side to find a way back into it, that was before Lee found himself through on goal, before inevitably slotting home into the bottom corner to seal all three points.

York City: Whitley, Fallowfield, Duckworth, Ellis, Crookes, Hurst, Pybus (McLaughlin 59’), Dyson, Hancox (Forde 73’), John-Lewis, Rowe (Kouhyar 73’)

Subs not used: Campbell, Kouogun

Yellow cards: Crookes (32’), Dyson (62’)

Wrexham: Foster, Barnett, O’Connell, Tozer, Tunnicliffe, Mendy, Jones, Cannon, Lee, Palmer (Dalby 70’), Mullin (Davies 87’)

Subs not used: Howard, McFadzean, Cleworth

Goals: Whitley OG (41’), Dalby (81’), Lee (90+2’)

Attendance: 10,161 (1,000)