Wrexham produced an emphatic comeback to defeat Port Vale 4-1 at Vale Park, booking a quarter-final tie against Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Trophy.
Early Setback, Strong Response
Phil Parkinson’s side fell behind within just 20 seconds as Ronan Curtis capitalised on a loose ball to fire past Arthur Okonkwo. However, Wrexham gradually found their rhythm and drew level before the break through Andy Cannon.
The second half saw the visitors take complete control. Harry Ashfield put Wrexham ahead early in the half before Elliot Lee and Mo Faal sealed a convincing victory.
While Wrexham’s primary focus remains their League One promotion push—where they sit third with 17 games to play—they are now just two wins from a potential Wembley final in a competition they last won in 2005.
Wholesale Changes Pay Off
Parkinson stuck to his usual policy of rotating his squad for the EFL Trophy, making ten changes from the side that beat Crawley Town in League One. Only defender Max Cleworth retained his place, while new signing Ryan Longman was handed his first start.
Despite the shaky start, Wrexham grew into the contest. Mo Faal had an early header off target, and Vale nearly doubled their lead when Rico Richards forced a superb save from Okonkwo.
The equaliser arrived on 31 minutes when Cleworth’s blocked shot fell to Faal, who teed up Cannon to slot home past Nathan Broome.
Dominant Second Half
Wrexham took control just three minutes after the restart. Longman beat his marker and pulled the ball back for Ashfield to fire into the net.
On 63 minutes, Longman was involved again, his second cross finding Lee, who calmly finished to put Wrexham 3-1 ahead. Vale threatened a response through Ben Heneghan, but Okonkwo produced another fine save.
The victory was wrapped up in the 82nd minute when Sebastian Revan’s low cross was turned in by Faal to cap a commanding performance.
Writer’s View
Wrexham’s ability to recover from an early setback and dominate the second half underlines their growing depth and resilience. Parkinson’s squad rotation ensured key players remained fresh, while the likes of Ashfield and Longman seized their opportunity. With a quarter-final against Bolton looming, momentum is building for both league and cup ambitions.
