Wrexham emerged victorious with a 2-1 win against Mansfield at the windswept One Call Stadium, furthering their promotion campaign in the Sky Bet League One. The match, marked by a dramatic own goal and a decisive second-half strike, extended Mansfield's winless streak to ten games. Max Cleworth's powerful finish in the second half secured the win for Wrexham, leaving the home team to rue missed opportunities.
The match began with an unexpected twist as Wrexham took the lead in just the second minute. Calum Macdonald inadvertently turned a low cross from Ollie Rathbone into his own net, giving Wrexham an early advantage. Despite the early setback, Mansfield had their chances to level the score during the first half. A shot from Rathbone hit the post only nine minutes into the game, keeping the pressure on the home side.
Wrexham continued to threaten, and Stephen McLaughlin had to make a crucial clearance on the line. This came after Sam Smith won the ball off Mansfield's keeper, Scott Flinders, and set up Jay Rodriguez for what seemed like a certain goal. Mansfield managed to equalize after 16 minutes when Calum Macdonald redeemed himself by finishing a low cross from Keanu Baccus at the far post.
However, Wrexham regained their lead in the second half through Max Cleworth's thunderous low 18-yard strike. The goal came after Mansfield's defense only half-cleared a cross from Sebastian Revan, allowing Cleworth to fire home with precision. The Welsh side then maintained their composure and saw out the rest of the match comfortably.
The game was not without incident, as Andy Cannon suffered a nasty injury that saw him stretchered off, leading to an additional ten minutes being added to the game. Despite this setback, Wrexham held firm, securing a vital victory in their quest for promotion.
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