Oxford United 0 Wrexham 2

Last updated : 04 February 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Oxford United's hopes of automatic promotion suffered a major setback at the Kassam Stadium when Wrexham beat them with two goals in the second half.

Oxford have not won a League game under lights in midweek for five years and Wrexham's win moves them to within a point of Oxford and they have two matches in hand.

They had chances in the first half to have gone in with a three-goal lead. All the chances fell to midfielder James Hunt who could not find the target.

Striker Andy Scott put him through after six minutes and Wrexham goalkeeper Andy Dibble did well to block the shot.

Two minutes later Dibble saved the next and from a long throw-in by Scott McNiven and after 29 minutes Andy Crosby flicked the ball across goal to Hunt, whose glancing header went wide of the far post.

Oxford striker Steve Basham, on the right of the area went closest to breaking the deadlock ten minutes before the interval. He cut inside Dennis Lawrence and beat Dibble with a fierce curling drive which struck a post and rebounded into play.

Wrexham, who have scored in every League game this season, were a different side in the second half and it was no surprise when they went ahead after 63 minutes.

Oxford left-back Paul Powell did well to dispossess Lee Trundle in the penalty area, but the ball ran across the face of goal to Andy Morrell, the division's leading scorer, who drove in his 20th goal.

Two minutes later Trundle blazed wide from an excellent position but the miss was not crucial as Wrexham's giant defender Lawrence increased the lead in the 74th minute with a header from a disputed corner.

Said Wrexham boss Denis Smith: "The performance was excellent. That was as good a win as we have had all season.

"We were fortunate to go in level at half time, but the defenders won a lot of ball in the middle in the second half.

Oxford manager Ian Atkins, said: "We needed the goals in the first half and I am disappointed. We didn't take the chances."