Wrexham Youth 2
Fleetwood Town U18 1
Football League Youth Alliance (North West Conference)

Match Report

The Young Reds produced arguably their most complete performance of the season to register their fifth successive home win and extend their unbeaten run to ten matches in the process as they beat Fleetwood Town 2-1 at a sunbathed Stansty. With confidence flowing, Wrexham were the better side from the start and Reds’ striker Jake Bickerstaff tested Scott Pengelly inside the first three minutes with the Fleetwood keeper saving well low to his right. Young full-back Cian Williams then shot narrowly over from the edge of the box as Wrexham attacked with pace down both flanks.

The deadlock was broken 12 minutes in when a fine run by Bickerstaff saw him slip a delightful pass into Cameron McGregor who calmly slotted the ball past the advancing keeper and into the net off the far post. Bickerstaff doubled the home side’s advantage on 24 minutes unleashing a low right-foot shot into the corner of the net after a surging run to the edge of the area.

Further chances soon followed as Max Cleworth headed over from a Matty Sargent free-kick before McGregor combined well with Bickerstaff, the latter’s low cross turned agonisingly wide at the back post by the onrushing Kyle Robinson-Murray. The visitors finally managed their first attack of note seven minutes before the interval when Jamie Cooke fired over with a long range effort.

With Jack Thorn and Sargent dominant in central midfield, Dan Nolan’s charges maintained their territorial control throughout the second period as chances proved to be few and far between for both sides. Fleetwood reduced the arrears on 78 minutes when Shayden Morris’s low drive took a wicked bounce over the outstretched hand of Reds’ goalkeeper Ben Tinkley to find the back of the net.

It was harsh on the home side who had defended well with Bobby Beaumont and Max Cleworth once again displaying the form which has seen the Young Reds’ concede just five goals in the last ten games. Wrexham were not to be denied and the final whistle brought yet another deserved three points and a season’s high ninth place in the EFL Youth Alliance table.