Wrexham v Stoke City
Date: 17/07/2019
Kick-Off: 19:00
Location: My Racecourse
Competition: Pre-Season Friendly
Match-Day Guide: Click Here
Wrexham return to the Racecourse for the first time since May as we welcome Sky Bet Championship opposition in the form of Stoke City.
Last time out Wrexham took on AFC Telford United at the New Bucks Head Stadium, with the Dragons coming out on top in a 2-0 success. Leighton McIntosh and Bobby Grant netted their first goals of the summer in a positive afternoon of experimentation in the summer heat of eastern Shropshire. It followed back-to-back losses to Portminonensie and Fleetwood Town as well as a 4-0 win over Cefn Druids.
Stoke have played twice thus far this pre-season flying out to take on MSV Duisburg in Germany. Sam Clucas' goal for the Potters saw the game end 1-1 against the Bundesliga 2 side. They opened the summer campaign against Leek Town with a hattrick from Tyrese Campbell, four goals from Wales international Sam Vokes and a single strike from Benik Afobe.
Wrexham forward Leighton McIntosh will be full of confidence having grabbed his first goal for the side and his first goal south of the Scottish border. The 26-year-old joined from Airdrieonians in the summer having scored 17 goals last term and will want to continue that fine run of form in North Wales.
Welsh striker Sam Vokes signed for Stoke in January 2019 on a three-year contract and scored four goals in the opening pre-season fixture. One of the heroes of Euro 2016 he was first given the opportunity to play for the national team by Wrexham's assistant manager Brian Flynn. Two former Wrexham players are within the Potters ranks, Ollie Shenton had a loan spell at the club in 2017 whilst Joe Allen - another Welsh international - had a brief loan spell in 2008.
Our last competitive match came in January 2015 in the FA Cup Third Round, with one of the most dramatic cup moments in recent memory. Stoke, then of the Premier League found themselves 1-0 down to a side five divisions below them as Mark Carrington's header sailed past Jack Butland. Mark Hughes brought on the big guns for the closing stages and three late strikes saw City through.
Goalkeeper Rob Lainton remains out through injury but Bryan Hughes has no new concerns.
The Wrexham AFC media team will be bringing you radio commentary of all the pre-season action this summer, free and exclusively on the club’s Mixlr channel. Follow the match live on our social media channels too, and look out for highlights and post-match reaction on the club’s YouTube channel.
