Wrexham dumped from FA Cup with shock loss
Wrexham have been eliminated from the FA Cup in the first round, losing 1-0 away at lower-league Harrogate Town on Sunday.
Harrogate, 17th in League Two, were not fancied by many heading into the game against a Wrexham team who are looking to earn their third successive promotion and are third in League One.
The Welsh side, part-owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, conceded against the run of play midway through the first half. Harrogate forward Jack Muldoon leapt highest from a corner and directed his header past Arthur Okonkwo in the Wrexham net with what was the home team’s first chance of any real note.
Wrexham created a host of good chances, particularly in the second half as their added firepower was summoned by manager Phil Parkinson from the bench in an attempt to turn the game around.
However, James Belshaw was more than resolute in the Harrogate goal, making excellent saves from Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, George Dobson and Paul Mullin. Right-back Ryan Barnett arguably had the best chance of all, but was unable to control his finish and blazed the ball over the bar.
The Dragons did have the ball in the net in the closing stages of the game after Modou Faal poked home from close range, only to see the offside flag go up to rule it out.
The closing stages were fraught in Yorkshire as Wrexham went direct, with former Premier League player James McClean putting a number of crosses into the box to no avail.
The final act was a ball launched into the area that was plucked appropriately from the sky by Belshaw, who blew a kiss to the travelling Wrexham fans behind his goal after the full-time whistle.
Wrexham return to league action on Saturday against Mansfield Town.
