Wrexham Reserves 3
Blackpool Reserves 1
Central League

Match Report

Two goals from Jake Bickerstaff and a Kai Evans strike ensured Wrexham recorded their first Central League win of the season as they beat Blackpool 3-1 on a bitterly cold afternoon at Nantwich.

The Seasiders arrived at the Swansway Stadium unbeaten in their opening five matches and controlled the match in the opening quarter with Dannen Francis a constant threat on the right wing. He came close to giving the visitors the lead inside six minutes when his driven cross was deflected onto the post by Ryan Austin, the Wrexham centre-back clearly relieved to see ball bounce away to safety.

Gradually the Reds managed to get a foothold in the game and Dan Jones should have opened the scoring on 21 minutes, the left wing-back surging past two defenders before firing wildly over the bar after good work from Bickerstaff in the build-up.

Wrexham’s growing confidence was rewarded three minutes later when Scott Butler’s precision pass found Evans in space on the left edge of the penalty area. The livewire striker cut back inside to curl a low shot into the corner of the Blackpool net, the ball appearing to take a slight deflection off Will Squires on its way past Stuart Moore.

Evans almost immediately doubled the lead with fierce shot which Moore tipped over the bar, Max Cleworth heading the resultant corner narrowly wide as Wrexham pushed for a second goal. That duly arrived 11 minutes before half-time when Dan Jones played a great ball into Bickerstaff, the former Nantwich Town loanee rifling home from 15 yards.

Against the run of play, the Seasiders pulled a goal back three minutes later when Donovan Lescott’s shot was deflected off Butler past a stranded Rob Lainton. Despite this setback, Wrexham continued to press after the interval and made certain of the three points just past the hour mark. The impressive Butler burst out of defence and fed Bickerstaff, the young forward taking the ball in his stride to net with another calm finish.