Birmingham’s Vicente And Klarer Deliver Huge Blow To Wrexham’s Playoff Hopes

Wrexham missed nan chance to move wrong a constituent of nan Sky Bet Championship playoff places aft they suffered a 2-0 conclusion by Birmingham astatine St Andrew’s.

The Red Dragons’ dream of an unprecedented 4th consecutive promotion was dealt a monolithic rustle aft they were beaten for a 2nd consecutive lucifer which leaves them 4 points down sixth-placed Hull pinch 4 games to play.

A drawstring of first-half saves from Arthur Okonkwo stopped Birmingham from having a deserved lead astatine nan break but location was thing he could do astatine nan commencement of nan 2nd play to extremity Carlos Vicente from nodding successful his 3rd extremity for nan nine since joining successful January.

Chris Davies’ broadside had mislaid 3 successful a statement coming into nan title but oozed assurance successful beforehand of a afloat location which was capped by Christoph Klarer stabbing successful a 2nd to seal nan points.

Wrexham were toothless successful onslaught and grounded to registry a changeable connected James Beadle’s goal. Beadle was simply a bystander successful a ascendant Birmingham capacity which helped assistance them up to 15th successful nan table.

With Wrexham chasing nan playoffs, Birmingham whitethorn person expected a overmuch stiffer title but alternatively cruised their to a first triumph successful complete a month. The hosts started connected nan beforehand ft and forced Okonkwo into a mates of early saves to contradict a brace of headers from Ibrahim Osman and August Priske albeit successful comfortable fashion.

Christoph Klarer wraps up Birmingham’s triumph pinch nan 2nd goal. Photograph: Ryan Browne/Shutterstock

Birmingham continued to beryllium ascendant but were incapable to find a measurement past Okonkwo who had to respond quickly to extremity Vicente from poking nan location broadside successful front. Wrexham had yet to make their people successful nan attacking 3rd and had been constricted to conscionable a mates of efforts from scope courtesy of Oliver Rathbone and Callum Doyle.

Wrexham conscionable astir managed to settee but had to trust connected Okonkwo for a 5th clip successful nan title to extremity Vicente from one-on-one scope pursuing a agelong and hopeful shot up nan section to support it goalless astatine half-time.

But, nan Blues yet had their reward pinch nan opener 3 minutes aft nan break. Kai Wagner sent a transportation into nan area and Vicente jumped highest astatine nan acold station to caput home. Birmingham were still successful nan ascendancy successful hunt of a second, immoderate neat link-up play betwixt Priske and Jay Stansfield ended pinch nan second aiming precocious supra nan crossbar.

Phil Parkinson brought connected Josh Windass and Nathan Broadhead successful an effort to get thing clicking up nan apical extremity of nan transportation for Wrexham who had produced very small pinch a 4th of nan crippled to go.

Birmingham were relentless and doubled their lead successful nan 71st minute. An in-swinging area from Paik Seung-Ho recovered Klarer astatine nan acold station who muscled Max Cleworth retired nan measurement and stabbed successful from adjacent scope which was capable to wrap up a much-needed Blues win.