Wrexham enjoyed an ultimately comfortable 4-1 win over Northampton Town in League One to cut into Birmingham City's lead.
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Wrexham score four against NorthamptonMcClean scores twice for Red DragonsCrosses from Barnett proved devastatingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportTELL ME MORE
The home fans at SToK Cae Ras didn't have to wait long for the first goal, James McClean heading in Ryan Barnett's cross from the right at the far post. Wrexham couldn't take chances for Barnett and Elliot Lee to extend that lead and paid when Cameron McGeehan equalised from close-range. But when Barnett crossed deep again and McClean knocked it back into the middle, Jack Marriott smashed the Red Dragons back in front. Into the second half and Lee did get his goal to create some daylight in the score-line, another header from another Barnett delivery. McClean's second – volleyed in at the far post from Barnett's deflected cross – made sure of the win.
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Ryan Barnett's crosses from the right flank caused Northampton no end of trouble and were ultimately what gave an otherwise dominant Wrexham their goals. It wasn't quite a hat-trick of assists because he only got direct credit for two. The second scored by Jack Marriott needed knocking back by James McClean, while the fourth from McClean was a deflected cross, but he effectively made all four.
THE BIG LOSER
Birminghamhave seen their lead at the top of the League One table cut from five points to two over the course of the afternoon. Tom Brady's club went into their game away at Charlton off the back of seven straight league wins, while the hosting Addicks had lost three on the bounce. And yet, Matt Godden won it for Charlton with a solitary second half goal. Football will always present opportunities, but Wrexham absolutely took this one to make up for the midweek loss to Stevenage.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
League One action takes a temporary pause for Wrexham, with an EFL Trophy clash against Wolves Under-21s at SToK Cae Ras on Tuesday night. But favourable league games against Rotherham and Huddersfield quickly follow.
