Fulham underlined their Second Division promotion credentials with a fourth successive league win at the Racecourse Ground this afternoon that dealt a significant blow to Wrexham’s own hopes of going up.
The Cottagers showed no signs of an FA Cup hangover as they were on the front foot from the off with Paul Trollope almost latching on to a lovely dinked ball from Paul Bracewell in the fifth minute. Wrexham’s promotion challenge has floundered of late with Brian Flynn’s men winning just two of their last twelve matches – and Fulham hit the front through Paul Moody’s eighth goal of the season when the in-form forward headed home Matt Lawrence’s cross after making an intelligent run to the near post.
The visitors doubled their lead early in the second half when million-pound man Paul Peschisolido produced a peach of a finish from Moody’s cross, volleying adeptly into the bottom corner having flicked the ball up for himself with a fine first touch at the far post. The Whites rounded off the scoring with a clinical counter-attack with five minutes left. Substitute Darren Freeman surged onto a through ball from Hayward, powering into the penalty area and cutting the ball back for Welsh international Trollope to find the bottom corner.
WREXHAM AFC (4-3-3): Marriott; Ridler, Carey, McGregor, Hardy; Owen, Ward (Chalk 79), Wainwright; Connolly, Russell, Spink (Roberts 59). Subs (not used): Phillips.
BOOKED: Ward, Wainwright.
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Lawrence, Herrera, Neilson, Coleman; Bracewell (Carpenter 77), Hayward, Smith, Trollope; Moody, Peschisolido (Freeman 68). Subs (not used): Blake.
BOOKED: Coleman, Freeman, Hayward.
GOALS: Moody (39), Peschisolido (57), Trollope (85).
REFEREE: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).
ATTENDANCE: 5,338.
