Shrewsbury: Bevan, Herd, Murdock, Kempson, Tierney, Davies (Humphrey 70), Darren Moss, McIntyre (Ryan 80), Leslie, Pugh (Constable 65), Hibbert.

Subs Not Used: Garner, Madjo.

Booked: Davies, Hibbert.

Goals: McIntyre 7, Darren Moss 58, Constable 68.

Wrexham: Ward, Spender, Hope, Bolland, Taylor, Marc Williams (Danny Williams 68), Roberts, Aiston (Hall 65), Done, Proctor, Broughton.

Subs Not Used: Steve Evans, Mike Williams, Whitley.

Booked: Spender, Roberts, Broughton, Danny Williams.

Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Assistant Referee (yellow) M Cairns
Assistant Referee (plain) M Matadar
Fourth Official M Dean

Attendance: 7065 (1242)

Paul Simpson sticks with the same side that picked up an important point in the week at Morecambe.

It was a pretty even opening few minutes but it was Town who grabbed the lead in the eighty minute. Town were awarded a free-kick just inside the Wrexham half, it was Colin Murdock who lifted the ball high into the Wrexham box, it dropped in between Gavin Ward and a Wrexham defender and they hesitated for a minute this allowed Kevin McIntyre to nick and loop a header over Ward and into the net to make it 1-0 to Town.

Wrexham were looking to take their chances when they could and after they won a free-kick just to the right of the Town goal they had a good effort, Matty Done whipped the ball over and Michael Proctor stooped to get a decent header in but it was easy for Bevan.

There were a few choice but fair tackles going in and it wasn't a surprise that ref Mason was reaching for his cards in the eighteenth minute, Steve Leslie had showed good skills and pace to take the ball down the left and breeze past Simon Spender but the Wrexham right-back left his foot in to send Leslie flying and was the first player in the book.

The best of the attacking play was coming from Town and they were really taking the game to the visitors, Hibbert, Pugh and Moss all had decent efforts but it was the pace of Marc Pugh, playing upfront alongside Hibbert, which was causing the most problems for the Wrexham defence.

Town were creating good pressure from all over the pitch and this was shown by Marc Tierney when he picked the ball up in the left-back position, he started a run up field then played a one two with Leslie to continue to run going to the Wrexham box, he was tackled but Leslie showed good strength to nick the ball off Spender and then lay it to Hibbert, he had his back to goal so put it back to Tierney who drove in a decent shot that flew just over the target.

Drewe Broughton had been a handful all afternoon, and picked up a booking because of it, and when a flick from Proctor put him in on the Town goal with only Kempson in attendance it looked dangerous for Town, but Kempson did well to go shoulder to shoulder with Broughton and did enough to get the ball back to Bevan.

Wrexham were finishing the half well and had a couple of decent efforts just before the break and both came from Michael Proctor, the first was a long range effort that brought a good save out of Bevan and the second was another decent long ranger effort that Bevan got down sharply to save and did well to hold onto the ball with Neil Roberts waiting to pounce on any slip-up.

The visitors nearly levelled on the stroke of half-time when more good pressure around the Town box saw Marc Williams do well, he cut back inside and then took the ball past the Town defence before curling in a good effort that Bevan sprang across his area to tip behind.

Half-time: 1-0

It was a pretty even affair for the opening exchanges of the half but Wrexham had continued to look dangerous when on the attack, and they had the best early effort on goal when the ball dropped to Broughton on the edge of the Town box and he drove in an excellent drive that flashed just wide of Bevan's far post.

Town grabbed a second well worked second goal on 57-minutes, Leslie went to take a quick throw but there was nothing on so left the ball for Tierney, he threw the ball to Leslie who set it back to Tierney who then curled over a high ball into the box that found Darren Moss rising high to head the ball home unchallenged and make it 2-0.

It was a good end to end game at times and Steve Leslie showed great skills when he broke down the left, it looked like he had taken the ball too far wide but then did a Ronaldinho flick take the ball past Spender, he then broke into the Wrexham box before skipping past a couple of challenges and driving in a low shot but Ward was down quickly to block. Wrexham though went straight back up the other end and had two decent efforts but they couldn't get the break to see them grab back a goal.

Paul Simpson made his first switch of the afternoon brining on James Constable to replace Marc Pugh in a straight swap.

Town were now looking the better of the attacking sides and when Dave Hibbert got in behind the Wrexham defence he had space to break into, he continued his run with Constable to his right and rolled the ball into his strike partners run, he broke into the box and was sent flying by Bolland to give Town a penalty. Dave Hibbert placed the ball and drive in a low shot but Ward was down smartly to save but couldn't hold on to it and Hibbert and Constable pounced for the free ball and it was Constable who got their first to smash the ball home and make 3-0.

Wrexham hadn't given up and they continued to look for a goal but Bevan was looking to keep a clean sheet and made two superb saves off Broughton headers and another good block from a long-range effort from Roberts.

The chances were still dropping to Town and they should really have added to their lead on several occasions, the best when Constable skipped past Spender to set himself free down the right, he drew the Wrexham defenders too him and then put the ball infield to find Chris Humphrey totally unmarked, he continued his run into the Wrexham box and then drilled in a shot but Ward was equal to it and pulled off a great block.

With just over 10-minutes of the game remaining Paul Simpson made his final switch of the afternoon brining on Jimmy Ryan to replace Kevin McIntyre.

Town continued to push and look the more dangerous of the two sides but in injury time Leslie, Ryan and Constable elected to keep the ball in the corner and run the clock down.

Full-time: 3-0