Two first half goals from Ollie Palmer and Andy Cannon helped Wrexham to breeze past Yeovil Town 3-0 in the Emirates FA Cup Second Round, as Shrewsbury Town await in the next round.
Ollie Palmer scored his sixth goal of the season to send Wrexham ahead, after tucking away the rebound to his own shot in the 14th minute.
After almost a year without a competitive goal for Wrexham, Andy Cannon netted his second for the Club in two games, slamming a volley through the hands of Joe Day to double Wrexham’s lead on the stroke of half-time.
As the final whistle dawned, substitute Sam Dalby added a third via an acute chip past the onrushing Yeovil shot-stopper.
The win propelled Wrexham into the Third Round of the Emirates FA Cup, whereby a trip to an old foe in Shrewsbury Town will await.
The last time Wrexham came up against Yeovil was in April, as the Red Dragons relegated the Glovers from the National League, putting themselves within one game of the title.
Phil Parkinson named one change to the side who drew away to Harrogate Town in the week, as Mark Howard started in-between the sticks following an injury Arthur Okonkwo suffered at the EnviroVent Stadium.
Mark Cooper opted for two changes to his Glovers side, after a shock defeat to Welling United in the National League South last week, seeing Charlie Cooper and Duncan Idehen coming into the starting eleven.
It was a measured start to the game for both sides, but Wrexham made the breakthrough in the 14th minute.
Cannon continued his rich vein of form by threading a pinpoint cross into Palmer, whose header was awkwardly parried out by Day. The ball bobbled back into the path of the Wrexham number nine, who couldn’t help but finish the rebound to send Wrexham into the lead.
With a clear counter attacking plan, it took the visitors 36 minutes to have their first effort on goal, as Cooper powered an effort from the edge of the box towards the top right corner, forcing Howard into a full-stretched save to tip the ball wide.
The Glovers had another guilt-edge opportunity just before the end of the half, when Jordan Young cannoned a 25-yard free-kick onto the outside of Howard’s post and out for a goal kick.
This wasn’t to be the last opportunity of the half though, as Cannon latched onto Idehen’s headed clearance to thud a volley from inside the Yeovil D. The ball paraded its way through the box, where it burst through the hands of a whimsical Day to double the lead for Parkinson’s men.
Half time beckoned and Wrexham entered the changing rooms two goals to the good, with the Glovers ruing missed opportunities.
The visitors needed a quick start to the second half, and almost had it through Cooper. Cannon’s clearance inside of the Wrexham box was poor under the pressure of Jordan Young, allowing Cooper to strike an effort from distance.
The Glovers’ fightback was short-lived, and Wrexham reimposed their dominance on the game by nullifying the opposition of the ball.
After a sweeping cross-field ball by substitute James Jones, Paul Mullin would have Wrexham’s first substantial effort since Cannon’s goal. He trundled into the Yeovil box up against his man and fired an uninspiring shot straight into the hands of Day.
James McClean almost fired in a third in the 83rd minute, after Wrexham toyed with a discombobulated Yeovil backline. Substitute Luke Young rendered three Yeovil defenders null and void with his cross to the back-post, where Elliot Lee set McClean. Somehow, Michael Smith recovered to block the impending third goal.
The third would come in the dying embers of the game, as McClean’s through ball glided past a falling Jake Wannell. Substitute Dalby made no mistake in front of goal, as he dinked the ball over the outcoming Day, as it bounced into the Yeovil net.
Full time was whistled and Wrexham progressed into the Third Round of the Emirates FA Cup, after squashing any attempt of a Yeovil upset.
Wrexham AFC: (5-3-2): Howard, Hayden (Jones 16’), Tozer (C), O'Connor, Mendy, Cannon (Young 77’), Evans, Lee (J.Davies 88’), McClean, Palmer (Dalby 77’), Mullin (Bickerstaff 88’)
Substitutions not used: McNicholas, Boyle, Hosannah
Yeovil Town: (5-3-2): Day, Williams, Whittle (Dawes 86’), Wannell, Worthington, Young (Cox 75’), Lo-Everton (Murphy 65’), Smith, Cooper (Owers 86’), Idehen, Nouble (Hyde 75’)
Substitutions not used: Maguire-Drew, Fisher, Staunton
Referee: Lee Swabey
Attendance: 9,640 (784 Away)
Wrexham AFC Bookings: Lee 43’ (foul)
Yeovil Town Bookings: Cooper 31’ (foul), Wannell 86' (foul)