Wrexham 3, Chorley 1: Magpies lose on Boxing Day

The hosts took the game to the Magpies right from the first whistle and they struggled to settle and take the ball out of their own half.

Wrexham were rewarded for their early attacking intent with only six minutes played, JJ Hooper the one to squeeze the ball under Matt Urwin from close range after an initial pass from Devonte Redmond.

With 11 minutes played, came another case of déjà vu as Redmond again threaded through a fantastic through-ball to Hooper who slotted home past Urwin inside the six-yard box to grab his second goal of the afternoon.

With half-an-hour played, Chorley had appeals for a penalty waved away as Courtney Meppen-Walters was brought down inside the area but the Magpies did eventually get a chance from 12-yards on 39 minutes after some slick work from Chris Holroyd.

The former Wrexham man stepped up to take the spot kick, only for it to be saved comfortably by Lainton.

Play resumed into the second-half and it wasn’t long before Wrexham came close to adding a third goal, Lewis Baines’s back-pass past Urwin in goal caused the keeper to slip before he saved an effort from Bobby Grant then the follow-up was hammered over by Redmond, a big let off for the Magpies.

Chorley looked to utilise their substitutes first on the hour mark, introducing Elliot Newby and Nortei Nortey into the fray with a change in system. In spite of that, it was the home side who again came close this time through Grant who had his effort from point blank range remarkably saved by Urwin.

With five minutes left to play, substitute Omari Patrick grabbed Wrexham’s third goal after getting in behind before lobbing Urwin smartly. Chorley substitute Ntumba Massanka, once a Wrexham player did grab a late consolation goal for the Magpies on 87 minutes but it was too little, too late.

Chorley: Urwin; Challoner, Blakeman, Meppen-Walters (c), A.Newby, O’Keefe (E. Newby, 59), Carver (Massanka, 84), Ross, Smith, Baines (Nortey, 61), Holroyd. Subs not used: Teague, Dodds.