McClean sparks Wrexham victory at Blackpool to boost promotion dream

The Championship may have to start preparing for Hollywood. A third ­successive promotion remains firmly in Wrexham’s sights after a near-perfect day for them in League One’s tumultuous automatic promotion race. Who writes their scripts?

While their rivals Wycombe ­crumbled to a 4-0 home defeat against ­Charlton to topple out of the top two, ­Wrexham took full advantage, overpowering Blackpool with a dominant ­second‑half display capped by quickfire goals from James McClean and Oliver Rathbone. Behind the champions Birmingham, the Welsh club are two points better off than the Chairboys on 86, with ­Charlton on 82 and Stockport, who beat ­Huddersfield, on 81.

Wrexham are two wins from ­making English football history; no club has won three successive ­promotions in the top-five tiers. From non-league to the second tier in three years would be quite the journey.

No wonder the visiting supporters came in their droves up the M6 for this one. The rowdy sold-out ­contingent of 2,000 away fans roared Phil Parkinson’s side on to triumph in a contest that might have proved another tripwire after Wrexham had drawn three of their past four.

“There was a bit of negativity, I would imagine, after we didn’t win last week but the lads blocked that out,” Parkinson said. “And we’re not going to get carried away the other way because people will start ­thinking we’ve done the job now.”

Quick Guide League One roundup: Stockport and Orient boost promotion hopes Show Stockport remain just behind fourth-placed Charlton after Oliver Norwood's penalty earned them a 2-1 comeback win against Huddersfield, with Callum Marshall dismissed for the Terriers minutes later. Sixth-placed Leyton Orient came from behind to beat relegation-threatened Cambridge 2-1 after Josh Stokes' opener was cancelled out by Charlie Kelman before Jamie Donley scored the winner. Orient remain in the top six on goal difference, but are level on 72 points with Reading, who won 5-1 at Mansfield. Jayden Wareham scored two and Lewis Wing, Billy Bodin and a George Williams' own goal also counted for the visitors, with Keanu Baccus replying for the Stags. Champions Birmingham held on to beat Burton 2-1, with goals from Alfons Sampsted and Jay Stansfield before Fábio Tavares netted late on. Dara Costelloe's double helped Northampton beat bottom-of-the-table Shrewsbury 4-1, a 28th league defeat for the Shrews. A six-goal thriller ended with Lincoln beating Bolton 4-2. The Trotters were reduced to 10 in the final minutes after Josh Dacres-Cogley was shown a second yellow card. Bolton levelled through Jay Matete and Alex Murphy after Erik Ring and James Collins' penalty gave Lincoln the lead, but the Imps restored control with goals from Collins and Reeco Hackett. Elsewhere, Barnsley and Peterborough drew 1-1 and Stevenage won 1-0 at relegation-threatened Bristol Rovers, while James Carragher's effort was the difference as Wigan defeated Rotherham by the same scoreline. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy scored a brace as relegation-threatened Crawley beat Exeter 3-1. Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback.

Blackpool went into the game with an outside playoff chance, having lost only three times since being beaten by Wrexham on Boxing Day, but this defeat means they will almost certainly play League One football again next season. Charlton’s and Stockport’s victories assure them of top-six finishes, while Leyton Orient and Reading, who won at Cambridge and Mansfield respectively, look set to battle for the final playoff spot.

For all of Wrexham’s endeavour at Blackpool, they owe plenty to ­Charlton and that favourable result 220 miles away in Buckinghamshire. Not that Parkinson wanted to talk about favours from other clubs with ­Wrexham’s fate back in their own hands.

If the news of the Addicks ­taking a 13th-minute lead at Wycombe caused a ripple of excitement among the Wrexham fans, their emotions ranged from near-ecstasy to disbelief when McClean raided through after a deft flick from Sam Smith but was denied by a point-blank Harry Tyrer save. With the goal at McClean’s mercy, it appeared simpler to score.

View image in fullscreen Wrexham's Oliver Rathbone (left) celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game. Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA

Charlton got a second at Wycombe by the half-hour mark but ­Wrexham were struggling to find a way past Tyrer. George Dobson slipped in Jay Rodriguez but the veteran forward smacked his shot straight at the sprawling Blackpool keeper. Tyrer, the former Chester player, was unpopular among the travelling fans as they pondered those missed chances with the game goalless at the break.

Parkinson would not divulge whether he told Wrexham’s players of the Wycombe score at half‑time. Either way, their motivation was plain to see. McClean, sensing this could be his defining Wrexham moment, sent a towering header just over. They were getting closer.

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With the away support growing a little restless, McClean thrust himself to the forefront. The 35-year-old had been taunted by the Blackpool fans for most of the game but careered off to a thrilled Wrexham section after his low effort skidded through a crowd of bodies to nestle in the corner.

Quick Guide League Two: Morecambe relegated as Doncaster go top Show Morecambe's relegation from the Football League after 18 years was confirmed with a 3-1 defeat by Salford, with Ossama Ashley, Cole Stockton and Kelly N'Mai doing the damage. Yann Songo'o's effort for the hosts will be of little consolation.

Carlisle kept their survival hopes alive after Callum Whelan's stoppage-time effort earned a 1-1 draw against Accrington. At the opposite end of the table, Doncaster went top after goals from Harry Clifton, Jordan Gibson and Patrick Kelly earned a 3-0 win over Colchester, who had Owura Edwards sent off in the 80th minute. Port Vale slipped to second despite staging a late comeback to draw 2-2 with Grimsby, Lorent Tolaj and Jesse Debrah salvaging a point after Danny Rose's brace. Walsall's automatic promotion hopes took a blow following a goalless draw with 10-man Newport, while third-placed Bradford were held 3-3 in a thriller at Chesterfield. Bradford took the lead through Bobby Pointon and Antoni Sarcevic's penalty before Jenson Metcalfe pulled one back just before the break. Alex Pattison extended the Bantams' advantage but Will Grigg started a late comeback and Liam Mandeville equalised in stoppage-time. Ethon Archer's 89th-minute winner gave Cheltenham a 2-1 win at playoff hopefuls Notts County, while Scott Hogan's goal was enough for MK Dons to see off hosts Crewe. Harrogate moved further away from the relegation zone after coming from behind to beat Fleetwood 3-1 and Will Wright's late own goal gave Bromley a 1-0 win over Swindon. Joseph Gbode's effort ensured Gillingham beat Wimbledon 1-0, while Barrow's meeting with 22nd-placed Tranmere finished goalless. PA Media Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback.

It turned out to be a Wrexham double salvo. While their fans were still celebrating the first goal, ­Rathbone kept his head to calmly slot a second into the bottom corner less than three minutes later. “We are going up,” they chanted. With the advantage over Wycombe and their confidence restored, you wouldn’t bet against them.

“We can control one thing and that’s our mindset,” Parkinson said. “It’s going to be completely feet on the floor and we’re going to come out fighting to finish the season off well. It’s about performance level. If at the end of the season we haven’t got promotion but we’ve played well, I can live with that.”

Blackpool’s deflated manager, Steve Bruce, accepted “it was a big struggle against a really good side” and that defeat was costly for their playoff hopes.

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