Wrexham’s play-off hopes rekindled with victory over Stoke

Phil Blanche, Press Association

Wrexham reignited their Sky Bet Championship play-off hopes with a 2-0 home victory over Stoke.

Hull’s home draw with Birmingham means Wrexham have cut the gap to sixth place to two points with three games left.

There was an air of anxiety at the SToK Cae Ras after consecutive defeats to Southampton and Birmingham, but first-half goals in the space of 69 seconds through George Thomason and Josh Windass eased the mood.

For Stoke, it was a sixth successive away defeat and the season can not end quick enough for the Potters, who drop to 17th.

Back-to-back defeats for the first time since the opening week of the season persuaded Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson to make four changes, with the eye-catching switch being in goal.

Wales international Danny Ward had not played since dislocating an elbow at the end of August but got the nod to start ahead of Arthur Okonkwo.

Wrexham started as if their season was on the line and there were calls for a fourth-minute penalty after Sam Smith was shoved over by Bosun Lawal.

Referee Adam Herczeg was not interested and contact may have been outside the box in any case.

Thomason advanced 50 yards unchallenged after dispossessing Sorba Thomas to send a shot straight at Gavin Bazunu, but Wrexham’s momentum was slowed by an efficient Stoke offside trap.

The breakthrough came after Lawal failed to clear George Dobson’s free-kick and Ollie Rathbone, choosing placement rather than power, saw his effort cleared off the line by Ben Pearson.

Thomason’s resulting 31st-minute corner flew straight over the head of Bazunu and into the far corner of his net, with Windass attempting to help it over the line.

There was no denying Windass just over a minute later after the forward capitalised on Aaron Cresswell’s mistake to slot past Bazunu for his 13th league goal of the season.

Stoke showed some ambition after the break as Dan Scarr blocked Bae Jun-ho’s goalbound effort but Wrexham were almost gifted a third after Thomason charged down the left and crossed.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s panicked clearance struck Smith and flew to safety when it could have easily embarrassed the defender.

The stretching Smith the headed over after Thomason and Windass had combined and Bazunu failed to collect.

Stoke went close to halving the deficit in the closing moments when Lamine Cisse struck the crossbar from close range, and their final hopes evaporated when Million Manhoef drove wide.