Match report

Wrexham Stuns Blackburn, Secures Championship Victory with a 2-0 Win

Blackburn
Blackburn
0–2
FT
Wrexham
Wrexham
Jan 1, 2026

Wrexham stunned the home crowd as they secured a crucial victory over Blackburn with a 2-0 win in their Championship encounter. Goals from S. Smith (11') and O. Rathbone (38') proved decisive, while Blackburn struggled to find an equalizer amid several yellow cards. This result marks Wrexham's impressive performance, putting pressure on the Championship standings.

Key Facts

  • • Final score: Blackburn 0–2 Wrexham
  • • S. Smith (11') and O. Rathbone (38') scored for Wrexham
  • • Blackburn received four yellow cards throughout the match, including M. Baradji at 30' and T. Cantwell at 37'
  • • Wrexham had three substitutions: B. Sheaf for M. James (72'), L. O'Brien for L. Cacace (84'), H. Ashfield for O. Rathbone (87')
  • • Blackburn made three subs: R. Hedges for H. Pickering (46'), M. Litherland for T. Atcheson (59'), and A. Henriksson for N. Dlamini (82')

Lineups

Blackburn

Formation: 3-4-1-2

Starting XI

  • 1 A. Pears (G)
  • 12 L. Miller (D)
  • 15 S. McLoughlin (D)
  • 43 G. Pratt (D)
  • 40 M. Litherland (M)
  • 24 M. Baradji (M)
  • 6 S. Tronstad (M)
  • 19 R. Hedges (M)
  • 10 T. Cantwell (F)
  • 18 A. Henriksson (F)
  • 23 Y. Ohashi (F)

Substitutes

  • 22 B. Toth
  • 3 H. Pickering
  • 4 Y. Ribeiro
  • 38 T. Atcheson
  • 5 T. Gardner-Hickman
  • 14 D. De Neve
  • 44 B. Powell
  • 99 A. Doherty
  • 52 N. Dlamini

Wrexham

Formation: 3-4-2-1

Starting XI

  • 1 A. Okonkwo (G)
  • 5 D. Hyam (D)
  • 24 D. Scarr (D)
  • 2 C. Doyle (D)
  • 47 R. Longman (M)
  • 15 G. Dobson (M)
  • 37 M. James (M)
  • 14 G. Thomason (M)
  • 20 O. Rathbone (F)
  • 27 L. O'Brien (F)
  • 28 S. Smith (F)

Substitutes

  • 25 C. Burton
  • 6 C. Coady
  • 4 M. Cleworth
  • 13 L. Cacace
  • 29 R. Barnett
  • 18 B. Sheaf
  • 45 H. Ashfield
  • 16 J. Rodriguez
  • 33 N. Broadhead

Timeline

  1. Wrexham
    11' Wrexham Goal · Normal Goal
    S. Smith · Assist: M. James
  2. Blackburn
    30' Blackburn Card · Yellow Card
    M. Baradji

    Foul

  3. Blackburn
    37' Blackburn Card · Yellow Card
    T. Cantwell

    Foul

  4. Wrexham
    38' Wrexham Goal · Normal Goal
    O. Rathbone · Assist: D. Scarr
  5. Wrexham
    45'+1 Wrexham Card · Yellow Card
    S. Smith

    Foul

  6. Blackburn
    46' Blackburn subst · Substitution 1
    Off: R. Hedges · On: H. Pickering
  7. Blackburn
    59' Blackburn subst · Substitution 2
    Off: M. Litherland · On: T. Atcheson
  8. Wrexham
    64' Wrexham Card · Yellow Card
    George Dobson

    Foul

  9. Blackburn
    67' Blackburn Card · Yellow Card
    L. Miller

    Foul

  10. Wrexham
    72' Wrexham subst · Substitution 1
    Off: M. James · On: B. Sheaf
  11. Blackburn
    75' Blackburn Card · Yellow Card
    Sondre Tronstad

    Foul

  12. Blackburn
    82' Blackburn subst · Substitution 3
    Off: A. Henriksson · On: N. Dlamini
  13. Wrexham
    84' Wrexham subst · Substitution 2
    Off: L. O'Brien · On: L. Cacace
  14. Wrexham
    87' Wrexham subst · Substitution 3
    Off: O. Rathbone · On: H. Ashfield

Match Stats

Stat Blackburn Wrexham
Fouls 14 10
Pass Accuracy 76% 73%
Offsides 2 2
Red Cards — —
Total Shots 12 7
Corners 4 8
Total Passes 438 393
Yellow Cards 4 2
Blocked Shots 7 1
Shots on Target 1 3
xG 0.66 0.67
Shots off Target 4 3
Possession 53% 47%
Goals Prevented 0 0
Accurate Passes 334 285
Shots Inside Box 8 6
Saves 1 1
Shots Outside Box 4 1

Key Match Notes

  • ▸ Wrexham took the lead early with a goal by S. Smith, assisted by M. James at 11', which demoralized Blackburn's momentum and set the tone for the rest of the match.
  • ▸ O. Rathbone doubled Wrexham’s lead just after halftime with his goal at 38', further solidifying their control over the game amidst Blackburn's increasing frustration, evidenced by multiple yellow cards.