Davies at the treble as Reds run riot

FC HALIFAX TOWN ......... 0 WREXHAM ........................ 4

JORDAN Davies scored a first-half hat-trick as resurgent Wrexham ran riot at The Shay to beat play-off rivals Halifax Town.

Davies scored three times in the first 35 minutes, and Dior Angus also netted in a dominant first-half display as Wrexham returned to winning ways.

It meant the Coedpoeth-born ace became the first Wrexham player to score a hat-trick since Chris Holroyd and the first to do it in the first-half since Juan Ugarte in 2005.

Wrexham made three changes after the heavy home defeat to Stockport County, with Gold Omotayo making his first Wrexham start against his former club.

Captain Shaun Pearson also returned to the starting line-up, in place of Reece Hall-Johnson, and Paul Rutherford started ahead of Dan Jarvis.

As with the last three matches, Wrexham were straight onto the front foot, with Omotayo laying off for striker partner Angus in the first minute, whose low effort was comfortable for Sam Johnson.

Unlike the previous occasions, however, this time the early pressure paid off – from a Reckord corner, Davies stooped low at the near post to score with a glancing header.

Niall Maher was the first Halifax player to test Christian Dibble, meanwhile – the Wrexham keeper tipping wide the midfielder’s low, 20-yard effort.

Angus and Davies had further chances and the pressure told when Omotayo headed Fiacre Kelleher’s long ball into Angus’ path and this time the striker made no mistake with a low finish across goal.

Davies scored his second on 32 minutes, winning a tackle in midfield, beating a defender and rounding the keeper to score from a tight angle.

He saved his best for his third three minutes later, however – after another Omotayo header, Davies fired a superb left-footed volley into the top corner to seal his hat-trick.

The Shaymen started much better in the second half and Jack Earing could not have been closer to pulling one back on 51 minutes, when his long-range effort hit the crossbar and bounced onto the line and clear.

Halifax’s frustrations furthered in the 69th minute, when Maher headed in Woods’ free-kick but from an offside position.

The hosts continued to enjoy the better of the second-half, and substitute Billy Chadwick lobbed wide.

Wrexham ensured the three points were paired with a first clean sheet in four matches, however, as the Reds jumped back above Halifax on goal difference.