Wrexham 2 Mansfield Town 1: Match report

Mansfield bowed out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle despite a spirited second half fightback where they might have nicked a draw.

The Stags, under the temporary charge of senior players Mark Stallard and Adie Moses following Billy McEwan's departre, looked dead and buried when they were 2-0 after just 11 minutes..

But they rode their luck in the rest of the first half and then looked much more of a threat after the restart.

Aaron O'Connor pulled one goal back midway through the half but there was no equaliser as the hosts, so dominant early on, held firm.

The opener came inside three minutes in what was the first serious attack of the game by either side.

Marc Williams broke free on the left byline and pulled the ball back for Jon Brown, who had the simplest of tap-ins from close range.

In the 11th minute, a superb stop from Jamie Annerson saw him claw away a Marc Williams header that was heading for the left-hand corner

But it was 2-0 from the resulting flag kick as Nathan Woolfe's near post kick was headed goalwards by Ashley Westwood and seemed to go in off a Mansfield body on the line.

With Wrexham rampant, Woolfe's cross was only inches too far for two Red Dragons making late runs into the box.

Midway through the half, James Kay's excellent cross was missed by the head Aaron O'Connor at close quarters, but the striker was flagged offside anyway.

The hosts went close to 3-0 when the lively Marc Williams escaped down the right and crossed for Andy Fleming whose low finish was crucially blocked by Silk.

Mansfield had two good situations within the space of 30 seconds as first Nathan Arnold lost control of the ball when he could have gone clear before Jonathan D'Laryea's through ball was just inches too far for Sinclair.

But Wrexham were always dangerous and Brown thundered just centimetres wide of the right-hand post from the edge of the box.

Just before the break, Brown find space on the left and crossed low for Patrick Suffo whose attempted finish was well blocked by Alan O'Hare.

In the final minute, Silk found space to cross for D'Laryea who headed straight at Ward before O'Connor curled well off target.

At the start of the second period, Marc Williams caught a sight of goal but spooned his effort well wide.

The Stags won a free-kick that was cleared only as far as O'Connor, whose volley sped past the left-hand post.

Kay then thumped well wide from distance before Neil Taylor got in an important header to deny Alex Jeannin from Arnold's centre.

Wrexham's response saw Mike Williams bring a smart save out of Annerson from Brown's left-wing free-kick.

Just before the hour, Adnan Ahmed came on to replace Matt Somner in midfield.

Jeannin had acres of space to run into as Wrexham were caught on the break, only to fire high over the top from 25 yards.

In the 67th minute, Marc Williams' tenacity allowed him to tee up substitute Sam Aiston, whose drive was high and wide.

Mansfield gave themselves hope soon after when they pulled a goal back. Kay's deep cross was pulled back by Sinclair allowing O'Connor to side-foot home a simple finish from eight yards.

That seemed to inject some confidence into the Stags and only a last-ditch tackle from Westwood prevented substitute Michael Blackwood – on for Jeannin – for having a glorious chance to level.

Ward then made a fine diving stop to deny O'Connor after Hurren's accurate through pass had set him up..

But Wrexham almost wrapped the game up in their next foray forward as Marc Williams struck the right-hand post trying to bend the ball into the corner from the edge of the box.

Sinclair was left holding his head in his hands when he overran the ball after being sent clear by a slide-rule pass from Ahmed.

With the game now spread, the opportunities were coming thick and fast at both ends and Aiston's centre only just cleared a Wrexham head when a touch would almost certainly brought a goal.

A sharp turn by Sinclair saw him get away down the right but O'Connor could only turn his hard and low cross over the bar.

With time running out, Kay won the ball in an advanced position but dragged his 20-yard drive well wide.

At the other end, Brown struck the outside of the right-hand post from a tight angle after winning a foot race with Kay.

The referee added four minutes of stoppage time but Mansfield were unable to fashion a clear opening.

Mansfield: Annerson, Silk, O'Hare, Hurren, Kay, Arnold, D'Laryea, Somner, Jeannin, Sinclair, O'Connor. Subs: Gamble, Blackwood, Ahmed, Trimmer, Kitchen.

Wrexham: Ward, Taylor, Mike Williams, Westwood, Williamson, J. Brown, Fleming, Fairhurst, Woolfe, Marc Williams, Suffo. Subs: Kearney, Aiston, Smith, Tsiaklis, Abbott.

Referee: A. Halliday.