STOCKPORT COUNTY 2, WREXHAM 0
It was Stockport County who produced a Hollywood performance rather than Wrexham as they returned to winning ways in the National League.
While the Welsh club’s recent takeover by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney attracted considerable publicity, it was Stockport who delivered a blockbuster to register a first win in four league games to arrest a recent slide.
Goals in the opening 15 minutes from Richie Bennett and Jordan Keane gave Wrexham stage fright from which they failed to recover as County climbed to fourth place while their opponents remained mid-table in 12th.
Stockport rediscovered their mojo and, having also twice struck the frame of the goal, could easily have won by a wider margin.
Wrexham, completely outplayed in the first 45 minutes, to their credit gave a spirited account in the second period in which they were also denied by the woodwork.
County manager Jim Gannon, still without the suspended John Rooney and Ash Palmer, made three changes from the side that started the Boxing Day 1-1 draw at Altrincham.
There were recalls for Jamie Stott, Macauley Southam-Hales and Richie Bennett as Sam Minihan, Jordan Williams and Adam Thomas lost out.
Stockport, looking for their first win in four league matches, made a dream start as they were 2-0 ahead inside quarter of an hour.
The lively Bennett had struck an upright and been brilliantly denied by goalkeeper Rob Lainton before the breakthrough came in the 13th minute.
A brilliant move down the right saw Southam-Hales release Connor Jennings who cut the ball back for an easy tap-in from Bennett, only the second goal of the season in the striker’s 13th appearance since his summer move from Port Vale.
And Stockport quickly added a second when Keane glanced home a header from Southam-Hales’ corner, the central defender’s first goal of the season.
After the whirlwind opening from Stockport, the game became more disjointed, though they had a great chance to add a third goal when Lois Maynard was left unmarked to head narrowly over from Mark Kitching’s corner,
Stockport were unlucky not to make it 3-0 just before half time.
Alex Reid’s header from Kitching’s corner crashed against the crossbar and Maynard, following up, saw his effort kicked off the goalline by Jordan Davies. Had that gone it, it would surely have put the game to bed.
Wrexham, awful in the opening period, were more of a threat after the restart.
They ought to have halved the deficit early in the second period when Kwame Thomas’ headed flick out Fiacre Ponticelli clean through, but he blazed over.
Davies then brought a save from Ben Hinchcliffe with a well struck free kick as Stockport, so much in control in the opening period, suddenly looked nervy.
Wrexham remained a danger and with eight minutes left almost halved the deficit when Luke Young’s deflected shot looped over Hinchliffe but hit the bat.
County had late chances to add a third goal when Reid, clean through, blazed wide and Jennings, latching on to Bennett’s cut back, forced a decent stop from Lainton.