Fearless Wrexham threaten an upset before Chelsea wake up just in time to save their day
- By Yann Tear
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
FA Cup 5th Round
Wrexham (1) 2 Smith 18, Doyle 78 George Dobson s/o 90+3
Chelsea (1) 4 Okonkwo og 40 Acheampong 82, Garnacho 96 Joao Pedro 120+5
(After Extra Time)
Chelsea survived an evening of intense Welsh fire before finding a way to hit back twice after trailing - eventually winning through to the last eight of the FA Cup.
The Blues were second best for large parts of a gripping contest that showcased Wrexham's strengths as they battle for a third successive promotion.
For them, and their upbeat fans, this was evidence that they might be able to mix it with the big boys should they make it up to the Premier League.
This was a much-changed Chelsea team - with the midweek trip to PSG much on their minds and was a game they just wanted to get through without too much drama. But the Racecourse Ground offered plenty and they needed extra time to see off doughty opponents.
A goal of stunning simplicity had Chelsea on the backfoot almost from the word go - a ball launched from just outside his own penalty area by Callum Doyle bounced nicely for Sam Smith to burst onto from half way and outstrip Tosin before tucking neatly past Robert Sanchez.
And Smith was soon causing further worries for the Chelsea defence with his pace - the Blues grateful that he lost his footing after scampering down the inside left channel to trouble Mamadou Sarr. Then it was the turn of Ryan Longman to go close - a deflected shot forcing Sanchez to stretch up to tip over.
Wrexham worked up an excellent spell of pressure with their closing down and sharp passing - always looking to get forward quickly and ask questions. There was often thrilling intensity in their play.
It was a half the Blues were not enjoying but they pegged the Championship side back before the break. Liam Delap's burst down the middle ended with a lay-off to Alejandro Garnacho inside the area and the Argentinian's low shot found its way into the net when George Thomason's clearance off the line bounced in off the back of keeper Arthur Okonkwo.
Liam Rosenior must have hoped it would be a decisive turning point but Chelsea failed to get themselves going with any conviction and the home side continued to believe.
Wrexham grabbed the lead again when sub Josh Windass connected with a ball hat reached him outside the area following a corner and his low drive was cheekily backheeled into the net by Doyle,
But the roars had hardly died down before Chelsea restored parity as a couple of missed tackles just outside the box was punished to the full by Josh Acheampong - who lashed into the roof of the net.
A slick move involving sub Joao Pedro and Garnacho nearly brought a winner from Pedro Neto - his shot cashing back off the crossbar but they fancied their chances of making extra time count when George Dobson was red carded for 'serious foul play' after lunging into Garnacho with the clock into the red.
Ref Peter Bankes considered the offence worthy of a yellow at first, but VAR persuaded him to upgrade.
Finally, the Blues were able to prevail and when sub Dario Essugo swung a ball deep towards the far post, Garnacho was there to volley home.
The raucous noise generated from the home fans finally abated. This time, at least, they did not get the Hollywood ending they have come to expect - although a towering far post header from Kieffer Moore almost did the trick and they had to suffer a final VAR intervention when Lewis Brunt's stooping far-post header after a nod on from a corner was ruled offside.
Lewis O'Brien also curled just wide at the death to compound the sense of injustice and Joao Pedro rubbed a final bit of salt to the wound with a fourth goal.
It was a match Wrexham did not deserve to lose but romance usually goes out of the window at the business end of this great competition. For Wrexham, their first experience of VAR had not been a happy one but their performance was one to give their fans immense pride.
Red Dragons: (3-4-3) Okonkwo - Cleworth (Keillor-Dunn 112), Hyam, Doyle (Brunt 105) - Longman (Barnett 91), Vyner (Broadhead 76), Dobson, Thomason - Rathbone (Windass 66), Smith (Moore 66), O'Brien
Blues: (3-4-2-1) Sanchez - Sarr (Guiu 58), Tosin, Badiashile - Acheampong (gusto 85), Andrey Santos, Lavia (Essugo 65), Hato (Cucurella 65) - Pedro Neto (Derry 100), Garnacho - Delap (Joaoa Pedro 85)
Attendance: 10,556
