SIX-HITTING WREXHAM ON THE WAY UP
WREXHAM completed back-to-back promotions in style with a 6-0 thumping of Forest
Green.
Elliot Lee opened the scoring before Paul Mullin scored twice, either side of Ryan Inniss’ own goal, as Wrexham hit four before the break, with Ryan Barnett and Jack Marriott finding the net in the second half.
Results elsewhere meant victory secured Wrexham’s place in League One next season, while defeat leaves bottom side Forest Green in grave danger of dropping out of the Football League.
A corner after 17 minutes led to Lee’s opener following a frantic goalmouth scramble after Mullin’s header was blocked.
It took last season’s National League champions just six minutes to double their lead.
Lee was again involved, releasing James McClean, who picked out Mullin at the back post to head in his 24th of the season.
Thoroughly dominant in the first half, Wrexham’s third came as defender Eoghan O’Connell tried his luck from distance. His shot took a cruel deflection off Inniss which left goalkeeper Vicente Reyes helpless.
There was still time for Mullin to hit Wrexham’s fourth before half-time.
A corner was only half-cleared to the unmarked striker on the edge of the area and his shot deflected into the goal.
Barnett got in on the act in the second half with a stunning volley from McClean’s cross to make it 5-0.
And Marriott completed the scoring six minutes from time as Wrexham and their Hollywood star owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds were able to celebrate another promotion.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said: “It’s never easy with Forest Green’s low block making it difficult, but it was important we showed that we’d learned from when we played them last time and I think some of our football was of a very high standard.”
While Wrexham can look forward to League One football next season, Forest Green remain rooted to the foot of the table and facing the very real prospect of relegation.
Boss Steve Cotterill was in no mood to defend his players.
“That 90 minutes sums up our season, I can’t tell you how disappointed I am with that,” he said.
“They’re better than us, let’s make no bones about it. We know they’re better than us – if you look at the league table every team is better than us – but fundamentally that dressing room hasn’t functioned properly all season.
“For a time I managed to breathe a bit of life into it. I definitely think that the fixtures we’ve had of late have been really difficult, it’s been really tough and we haven’t been good enough to beat those teams.
“I’ve said to them I hope it hurts them as much as it hurts me.”