Town slay red dragons

The Red Dragons ran out of puff as goals from Eric Sabin, Danny Invincible and Matt Heywood secured an extremely important three points for Roy Evans' men.

This was a big test for Town on the back of an impressive display against Brighton. The home side rose to the challenge and ensured their game in hand did not go to waste.

Anything less than a victory would have started the alarm bells ringing but any pre-match nerves were quickly soothed by the boot of a Frenchman.

Sabin struck his second goal in successive games after just five minutes to provide Town with an important platform.

The 26-year-old was played in by man of the match Matt Hewlett after a poor clearance from Wrexham keeper Kristian Rogers.

It was a hectic opening spell for Sabin who was booked just two minutes after his goal for kicking the ball away.

Denis Smith's side offered little to trouble Town, with only striker Lee Trundle proving to be something of a handful.

His close control and pace meant messrs Gurney, Ruddock and Heywood had to be alert but there was no question of panic at the back.

Trundle did arrow a promising effort just over Bart Griemink's crossbar in the 15th minute as the visitors looked for a way back into the game.

Wayne Carlisle and Sabin combined well down the left but there was no-one able to pick up on the Frenchman's clever back-heel.

Former Wigan and Leeds left back Kevin Sharp provided an attacking outlet down Wrexham's left flank and Griemink had to stretch to collect a curling 20th minute effort.

Wrexham's best spell of the match came midway through the first half but although they put together one or two nice passing moves, they could not find the key to unlock the Town defence.

The home side needed the cushion of a second goal and it arrived courtesy of Danny Invincible in the 28th minute.

Hewlett and Duke combined well before Carlisle jinked past Whitley to drive in a low cross from the left.

Invincible timed his run to perfection and crashed a shot beyond Rogers to make it 2-0.

A slight moment of hesitation between Griemink and Mark Robinson on the half hour almost allowed Trundle to nip in but Town really should have made the game safe in the 34th minute.

Gurney released Sabin down the right and the pacy striker laid a perfect ball into the path of Steve Robinson on the edge of the box.

Unfortunately, the midfielder could not quite find the composed finish and his shot flew off target, leaving the player to clutch his head in frustration.

Carlisle is rapidly becoming Town's subtler outlet for free-kicks. While Razor Ruddock is the man for an old fashioned hearty 'thump', the Northern Ireland man is a bit more of an artist.

Two minutes before the break, he whipped in a 20-yard free-kick from the left which only just cleared Wrexham's crossbar.

A moment of sheer class almost brought the visitors back into the match just moments before half-time.

Trundle rode at least five challenges to work his way into a scoring position and it was only the intervention of Ruddock's shin that prevent an almost certain goal, preserving Town's two-goal lead at the break.

It was perhaps tempting fate for the Town tannoy to blare out the theme from Mission Impossible as Wrexham appeared for the second half. Town have shot themselves in the foot too many times to allow fans the luxury of thinking the job is done.

Sure enough, a case of the jitters broke out with the half barely 10 minutes old.

Sharp's in-swinging corner eluded everyone in the crowded six-yard box before creeping in off the post, clipping a red shirt as it crossed the line.

Fortunately, this was not the signal for the home side to press self destruct and the two-goal lead was restored on the hour.

Heywood connected with a cross from the right and although his first effort was kept out by Rogers, the central defender reacted sharply to fire home the rebound from close range.

Town were then denied a clear opportunity to make it 4-1 just 60 seconds later as Sabin was brought down in the box but Mr Crick was not interested.

Trundle then tested Griemink with a 25-yard chip, while Carlisle fizzed a shot over the Wrexham bar from a similar distance.

Denis Smith attempted to shake up his attack by bringing on striker Hector Sam but the Trinidad and Tobago international made little impact.

Invincible thrashed a 69th minute drive just wide of Rogers' right post as both sides continued to attack.

Mr Crick then made himself extremely unpopular with the Wrexham party when he failed to award a 72nd minute spot kick when Mark Robinson tangled with Craig Faulconbridge.

The visitors introduced Welsh Under 21 star Stephen Thomas and he at least rifled in a couple of late efforts for the visitors, none of which had the power or accuracy to beat Griemink.

Town held on comfortably to take the points and put themselves back in the mid-table pack and leave themselves some eight points clear of the bottom four while only five points off a top six spot.