For the second time in as many seasons, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham have been promoted after beating Forest Green Rovers 6-0 at home.
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Wrexham promoted to League OneMK Dons and Barrow loseLee stands out in Red Dragons win Getty ImagesTELL ME MORE
Wrexham went into Saturday’s game knowing that if MK Dons and Barrow dropped points, they would be promoted with a victory against Forest Green Rovers.
MK Dons took the lead after just 13 minutes through Max Dean to ramp up the pressure on Wrexham. But, just four minutes later Elliot Lee quelled any possible nerves by putting the Red Dragons a goal up themselves against the side rock bottom of League Two. With the ball pinballing around the six-yard area, it squirmed its way out to Lee who outstretched his right leg to nip in and prod the ball into the bottom left corner.
Six minutes later, Wrexham had another. Lee again led the charge, driving to the box before laying the ball wide for James McClean. The Irishman floated in a cross to the back-stick and found the unmarked Paul Mullin who made no mistake in directing his header downwards and in.
Things then went from bad to worse for Forest Green as relegation rivals Colchester United and Sutton United took the lead in their respective games before Ryan Inniss turned into his own net after multiple deflections to give Wrexham a deserved, albeit fortunate, third.
Forest Green would have been begging for the half-time whistle to bring an end to their suffering, but to no avail as Mullin rifled in a fourth via a deflection from a half-cleared corner. Wrexham went into the break four goals to the good and keeping an eye on MK Dons and Barrow.
Celebrations went up around the Racecourse Ground shortly after half-time once again but not for a Wrexham goal – Davis Keillor-Dunn had put Mansfield 2-1 up against MK Dons and a Rory Feely own-goal had sent Barrow two goals behind.
Wrexham fans began to really party when Ryan Barnett scored a scorching volley to add goal number five just past the hour mark. Barrow conceded a third goal to put that result beyond doubt and leave the Wrexham fans sweating on a Mansfield result against MK Dons.
Jack Marriott added the cherry on the icing of the cake in the 84th minute as he and Wrexham hit Forest Green for six. The side at the bottom of the table could only watch on as their survival hopes all but disappeared following Colchester’s win at Crawley Town.
It was delight and despair for the two sides, reflective of their contrasting seasons, as Mansfield scored a third and then a fourth to confirm Wrexham’s promotion.
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Lee was superb for the Red Dragons throughout the game and scored the opener to set them on their way to victory. The midfielder combined well with McClean to allow the full-back space to whip a cross onto the head of Mullin and double the advantage. Lee, one of the Red Dragons most important players, has started all but three games this season and was at his very best again on Saturday.
THE BIG LOSER
Poor Vincente Reyes in the Forest Green goal could do nothing to prevent Wrexham steamrolling five goals past him. The goalkeeper made just one save in reply to the four goals in the first half and had an equally poor showing in the second. Reyes produced no heroics to prevent Forest Green from needing a miracle in their final two games to avoid relegation.
DID YOU KNOW?
Wrexham last tasted League One in the 2004-05 season in which they were agonisingly relegated with 43 points. The Red Dragons had been deducted 10 points that season for entering administration. Had they avoided their financial troubles and punishment, they would have survived the drop by two points.