da stake casino： Wrexham's hopes for automatic promotion from League Two took a serious dent on Tuesday following a 1-0 defeat to mid-table Doncaster away from home.
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Bailey scores decisive headerBoyle misses a sitter for WrexhamPromotion hopes take serious dentGetty ImagesTELL ME MORE
Fans at the Eco-Power Stadium were put through something of a non-event for the first 40 minutes, with neither side capable of creating any clear-cut chances early on. But it was eventually Doncaster who sparked the game into life when Maxime Biamou wasted a chance on the volley after Luke Molyneux's superb through ball. A hectic final five minutes followed with the home side getting the just rewards for their pressure. Owen Bailey capitalised on some hesitancy from Arthur Okonkwo to head home at the back post and make it 1-0.
Phil Parkinson's side were content with letting Doncaster keep the ball in the first 45 but they came out a changed side at the break. Their more direct approach almost sprouted an immediate equaliser, with Will Boyle failing to do what Bailey had and inexplicably heading wide at the back post. Doncaster came back, though, and were only thwarted from adding to the scoreline from Okonkwo's impressive efforts. Paul Mullin thought he had rescued it late on but his goal was ruled out for offside, as the away side tried – in vain – to find an equaliser. After 15 shots Wrexham, somehow, registered just one on target, as their automatic promotion hopes took a significant blow.
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Defeat for Wrexham means Doncaster's insane recent record continues. They remain one of League Two's most in-form sides with Tuesday's 1-0 win their eighth in their last 12 matches. They have lost just once in that time.
THE MVP
Okonkwo may have done marginally better for Doncaster's goal, but the on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper kept the scores from becoming embarrassing in the second half. He made countless big saves – the standouts being to deny Richard Wood and Molyneux – to keep the home side at bay. His efforts were simply not matched by Wrexham's misfiring forwards, who had a day to forget in front of goal.
Getty ImagesTHE BIG LOSER
Wrexham's frontline were at fault for a dismal shooting record on Tuesday night, although the one big miss came from a defender. Boyle had an absolute nightmare while up for a set piece, heading a completely free header wide from barely six yards out. He was put out of his misery on 61 minutes but the damage had already been done, with the miss turning out to be costly in the eventual 1-0 scoreline.