ANOTHER strong reserve team travelled north up the M6 to Preston North End for this Pontin's League encounter and returned home with three points.

After surviving a number of scares throughout the game 90, the home side were finally undone thanks to a late penalty from Alex Darlington after Mike Carvill had been brought down in the box.

It was a match which also marked the return from injury of both Steve Evans and Rob Duffy, the pair having being sidelined for several weeks. 

Carvill was quickly into the action, making a nuisance of himself to the Preston defence and getting a few shots away that needed keeper Chris Neal to deal with.

From a Silvio Spann corner on 12 minutes, Evans rose to send a thunderous header inches over the home crossbar from 12-yards.

A long ball down the middle saw Rob Duffy out jumped, but the ball only carried as far as the lively Carvill who forced a good save.

From the resulting corner Evans once again jumped highest, but this time the ball came rebounding off the crossbar.

The Reds should have taken the lead on 21 minutes when Duffy's header was knocked wide into the path of Josh Johnson, but with an open goal beckoning in front of him the Trinidadian side footed wide from five-yards.

On 35 minutes, Neal produced a full length diving save to cut out a Spann shot that was arrowing for the far corner.

The Lilywhites hit back with their best effort on 41 minutes, when Lewis Neal crossed from the left wing and centre forward Tom Smyth got in an unchallenged header which passed only inches wide of the near post

Late in the half, Wrexham were awarded a free kick on the left of the North End box, which Silvio squared for Mark Jones to send in a shot that lacked power, but saw Duffy control the effort before spinning and firing high from just seven yards.

HT

A switch at the interval saw Lee Jones sent on for the impressive Steve Evans.

On 51 minutes, Mark Jones surged into the home penalty box and as he prepared to shoot centre half Neil Trottman, a £500,000 January buy from Oldham, just managed to get a boot across him to nudge the ball away.

On 61 minutes, the Reds were awarded a free kick just outside he box, but Spann's effort deflected off the wall and away for a corner. The flag was sent towards the near post where Lee Jones pushed it on towards the 'D' where Rob Duffy sent in a goal bound effort that was cleared off the line.

Shortly afterwards, Robbie Garrett freed Carvill on the wing and his cross was knocked back only as far as Spann on the edge of the box, but the midfielder's first time effort spun a yard wide of it's target.

Preston's goal survived again on 67 minutes when Johnson broke on the left and drew keeper Neal wide, he lifted his cross to the back post where Spann headed back for Duffy, but the big striker wanted too much time on his shot and somehow Ray Shearwood throw his body in the way to block the effort from six-yards.

Wrexham broke quickly from a Preston corner and Josh stretched the home defence and saw his rasping drive from the edge of the box sting the fingers of Chris Neal.

Then with five minutes remaining Mike Carvill was tripped from behind by Trottman in the box and the referee duly pointed to the spot. Up stepped Alex Darlington to send Neal the wrong way.

Pejic was booked in time added on for a foul on Michael Conchie, happily the resulting set piece was cleared up field.

Silvio almost added a second goal when rounding the home keeper, but despite being forced wide he still managed to curl the ball into the goal mouth, only for full back Michael Hart to head off his own line.

Preston: Chris Neal, Michael Hart (Michael Aspin 61), Ray Shearwood, Lewis Smith (Ryan McGreevy 58), Neal Trottman, Phil Appiah (Adam Barton 74), Danny Mayor, Nathan Fairhurst, Tom Smyth, Michael Conchie, Lewis Neal.
Subs: Jack Cudworth, Dominic Collins.

Wrexham: Anthony Williams, Robbie Garrett, Chris Marriott, Shaun Pejic, Steve Evans (Lee Jones 46), Mark Jones, Silvio Spann, Andy Fleming, Rob Duffy (Alex Darlington 71), Mike Carvill, Josh Johnson (Luke Carden 83).
Subs: Chris Maxwell, Tom Matischok.

Referee: M Matadar
Attendance: 150ish
Away: 5

Booked -
Wrexham: S Pejic (90, foul)