Goals from Sam Dalby and Paul Mullin guided Wrexham through to the Emirates FA Cup Second Round, with victory away to Mansfield at a soggy One Call Stadium.
Dalby opened the scoring with a powerful finish in the first-half, and Mullin guided a fine shot beyond the hugely impressive Christy Pym to double the advantage.
Rhys Oates pulled a goal back to set up a nerve-wracking finale for the away fans as the rain continued to fall in Nottinghamshire, but the Red Dragons stood firm to put their name in the Second Round draw.
Phil Parkinson named a strong side on Wrexham’s return to Mansfield, with James McClean and Mullin both selected in the starting line-up.
There was a space on the right for Anthony Forde, who returned to the side for the first time since September.
It was a fast-paced start at the One Call Stadium, with both teams looking for an immediate impact in the fixture – a far cry from last month’s goalless draw.
Andy Cannon, fresh from his impressive performance last weekend, started the match in a similar vein as he broke up play and unleashed a strike in the second minute. It drifted wide but provided an immediate warning to the hosts.
Rhys Oates was the next to try his luck on goal, but Arthur Okonkwo was equal to the effort and made several crucial saves early on to negate the Stags’ threat.
Dalby – who yet again was named as Mullin’s strike partner, looked inspired at the top-end of the pitch with some impressive build-up play in the opening stages of the match.
The forward came close to giving the visitors the lead from inside the box after 18 minutes, but Mansfield goalkeeper Pym was excellent and produced an impressive low save to keep the scores level.
Wrexham’s number 18 continued to push for a goal and quickly broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute with a ferocious strike into the roof of the net – leaving Pym with no chance after his previous save.
Just seven minutes later, Pym produced more heroics, this time tipping Dalby’s powerful strike onto the bar after the forward was released through on goal brilliantly by Elliot Lee.
Mansfield continued in their search of a leveller, but in truth, Nigel Clough’s side couldn’t find the finishing touch despite their efforts.
With the first half coming to a close, both Lee and Mullin had chances for Phil Parkinson’s side to increase their advantage before the interval.
They possibly might have done just that, had it not been for the impressive performance of Pym who continued to produce heroics at the One Call Stadium.
The Stags bolted out of the gate in the second half and provided several tests which Okonkwo stood up to well throughout to ensure Wrexham’s slender lead remained intact in Nottinghamshire.
And dDespite the early pressure from the hosts, Wrexham soon enough found an all-important second goal to extend their advantage on the road.
Having claimed the 2022/23 Emirates FA Cup Golden Ball, Mullin opened his account in the competition this season after 59 minutes as he produced a cultured finish past Pym to send the away end into jubilation.
The celebrations didn’t last long, however, as Mansfield found an almost instant response to Wrexham’s second goal.
On the hour mark – almost immediately after kick-off, it was Rhys Oates who found the required finish to keep the game within Mansfield’s reach.
Just a minute later, Mullin had the ball in the net again, lofting the ball over the head of Pym – only for the flag to be raised for offside.
Cannon almost restored Wrexham’s two-goal lead, running onto the edge of the box to fire from distance, but his strike dragged wide of the post after 64 minutes.
Both sides continued to battle for the next goal, as Mansfield really started to apply pressure on the visitors in hope of a goal to level the scores.
As the match progressed and time started to run out, Parkinson’s side seemingly became more and more resilient as they attempted to grind out a result against the Stags.
It was the Red Dragons’ spirit and resilience that saw them through a wave of Mansfield chances, as they held on and claimed a hard-fought win to continue their Emirates FA Cup journey.
Mansfield Town: Pym (GK), Johnson (Swan 64’), Flint, Brunt, Cargill (McLoughlin 64’), Reed, Lewis (MacDonald 84’), Clarke (Maris 40’), Keillor-Dunn, Oates (Gale 84’), Bowery.
Subs not used: Flinders (GK), Cooper, Flanagan, Abdullah.
Wrexham AFC: Okonkwo (GK), Evans, Tozer (C), O’Connor, Forde (Mendy 66’), Jones, Cannon (Young 71’ , Lee (J.Davies 82’), McClean, Dalby (Palmer 82’), Mullin.
Subs not used: Howard (GK), Hosannah, Boyle, Bickerstaff, Cleworth.
Match Attendance: 6,158
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
