Two goals from top scorer Jeff Louis and a Simon Brown penalty were enough to see Wrexham clinch a hard fought victory at The Racecourse this afternoon. Ebbsfleet pushed them all the way though after taking the lead and a late Michael Gash goal meant a nail biting end to the game for the home support.

Wrexham made two changes from the side that lost at Cambridge, Neil Taylor started and Steve Evans returned from International duty in Moscow to partner Darran Kempson in defence. On a warm afternoon in North Wales Wrexham kicked off attacking the ERS end of The Racecourse. The game started at a frenetic pace with Ebbsfleet winning an early corner from which Darius Charles had a free header from eight yards which he put over the bar.

Ebbsfleet had started very positively and looked to get the ball forward as quickly as possible; Wrexham's first serious attack came on 4 minutes when Tom Kearney's free kick saw Steve Evans involved in a couple of aerial challenges before the ball ran through to Lance Cronin in the visitors goal. A minute later Michael Gash got in a header from a free kick which Gavin Ward held under his cross bar.

Wrexham put together a good spell of pressure with a couple of corners in quick succession, the visitors bounced back with a free kick and corner of their own, none if which realised a clear chance, as defences were on top in the opening 10 minutes. Ebbsfleet certainly had the better of the opening quarter of an hour as The Red Dragons struggled to get their game going with the play from both sides very scrappy.

Gavin Ward was the busier of the two goal keepers though to be fair he was not troubled in the opening 23 minutes, the best chance in his period falling to Levi Mackin who struck a good effort which beat Cronin but clipped the outside of the post before running wide. The visitors did take the lead on 26 minutes, Stacy Long's corner was flicked on and Neil Barrett stooped at the far post to head home despite Simon Spender's desperate efforts to clear off his line.

Wrexham had a good shout for a penalty on 29 minutes when Shaun Whalley looked to be pulled down chasing Jeff Louis' flick but referee Rushton was not impressed waving play on. The referee further incurred the wrath of both Brian Little and the crowd when Neil Taylor was clattered in an aerial challenge, again Mr Rushton waved play on. Wrexham did equalise on 36 minutes thanks to the quick thinking of skipper Tom Kearney, taking a free kick early and finding Jeff Louis who scored with a deflected shot from the edge of the area.

The same combination forced Cronin into a save on 42 minutes, Louis' header from 12 yards after a good cross from Kearney. At the other end Gavin Ward showed some assured handling in the first half as Ebbsfleet put in some good crosses but Neil Barrett did miss a great opportunity to restore the visitors lead when he fired wide from 10 yards after Gash had headed on to him with two minutes of the half left.

The first booking went to ex Chester player Jamie Hand for a number of minor fouls which finally totted up in the referee's mind in added time but the first half ended level..

Second Half

Michael Proctor replaced Neil Taylor at the start of the second half. Ebbsfleet got the action under way attacking the ERS end of the ground and won an early corner which was well headed clear by Tom Kearney. Ricky Shakes had a shot on 50 minutes easily held by Ward.

With 51 minutes gone Wrexham took the lead when Jeff Louis rose majestically on the far post to power Shaun Whalley's cross into the Ebbsfleet net from six yards for his seventh goal of the season. Wrexham kept the pressure up and two minutes later Ebbsfleet survived a scramble in their goal area, as from a Kearney corner Wrexham couldn't force the ball home, a defender blocking Whalley's effort on the line.

Ebbsfleet manager Liam Daish replaced one of Brian Little's summer targets Ricky Shakes with Kezie Ibe as they kept pressing forward looking for an equaliser. Tom Kearney was booked on 59 minutes for dissent as Mr Rushton again awarded a disputed free kick to Ebbsfleet. After a comedy moment whilst the referee tried to get the wall back the free kick resulted in a corner from which Barrett fired over the Wrexham bar. The quality of the football was poor and some strange refereeing decisions did not help.

James Smith was booked for a foul on Shaun Whalley with 67 minutes gone and Jeff Louis joined him 2 minutes later.

Wrexham survived a scare on 71 minutes when Ward spilled a cross under pressure, some brave defending by Wrexham ended with Steve Evans heading wide for a corner from which Ward had to turn a header from Stacy Long over the bar. Wrexham responded with a fine move starting with a good pass by Mackin to Whalley and ending with Simon Brown putting in a header which clipped the Ebbsfleet bar. Brian Little responded to Ebbsfleet's pressure by replacing Jeff Louis with Christian Smith and Levi Mackin with Wes Baynes.

Simon Brown joined Whalley up front as Wrexham reorganised and it worked almost immediately as Brown's pace saw him burst into the area where he was brought down by Charles who was lucky to only be booked. Simon Brown got up and fired home the penalty himself on 76 minutes for his first Wrexham goal. Ebbsfleet bounced back and Ward did well to keep Wrexham's two goal advantage intact with a diving save on 79 minutes.

To give Ebbfleet due credit they kept going and Gash almost got on to the end of a long ball, the excellent Steve Evans got back to steer the ball back to Gavin Ward though. Wrexham did not heed the warning though and Ebbsfleet did reduce the deficit in the last minute when Michael Gash slid the ball home from eight yards.

With four minutes added time The Racecourse faithful were left biting their finger nails as Ebbsfleet pressed looking for an equaliser but Wrexham held on to clinch a win and stop the run of two defeats.

Wrexham (4-4-2): Gavin Ward, Simon Spender, Darran Kempson, Steve Evans, Carl Tremarco, Simon Brown, Tom Kearney, Levi Mackin (Wes Baynes 75), Neil Taylor (Michael Proctor 46), Shaun Whalley, Jefferson Louis (Christian Smith 75).
Subs: Anthony Williams, Mike Williams,

Ebbsfleet United (4-4-2): Lance Cronin, Mark Ricketts, James Smith, Darius Charles, Sacha Opinel (Daniel Slatter 80), Stacy Long, Jamie Hand, Neil Barrett, Ricky Shakes (Kezie Ibe 54), Michael Gash, Luke Moore.
Subs: Craig Stone, Dean Pooley, Sam Mott

Referee: S.J.Rushton
Attendance: 3,132
Away: 90

Bookings -
Wrexham: Tom Kearney (dissent), Jeff Louis (foul)
Ebbsfleet United: Jamie Hand (foul), James Smith (foul)