Wrexham 2-1 Stockport

WREXHAM got their first taste of scrapping for points in the relegation zone last night when they overcame basement club Stockport County to put some distance between themselves and their struggling rivals.

The Red Dragons' victory at The Racecourse proved they were well worth the 14-point lead they had over County before it was wiped out by the Football League for going into administration.

Prior to kick-off Steve Roberts recovered from a sore hamstring in time to replace fellow defender Craig Morgan, who picked up a knock in the Dragons' FA Cup defeat at Scunthorpe United last Friday.

Early on Wrexham striker Hector Sam shot tamely at goalkeeper Neil Cutler before County defender Jim Goodwin's side-footed effort failed to trouble Andy Dibble, who returned after almost three months out injured.

Next Dragons' striker Chris Llewellyn fed Sam inside the box and although the Trinidadian appeared to miscue his effort it still had to be cleared off the line by midfielder Mark Robertson.

With the home side having most of the early play Dragons' defender Andy Holt saw a fierce drive blocked before team-mate Scott Green blasted over on the 15-minute mark.

But it was the visitors who opened the scoring just two minutes later when midfielder Marc Bridge-Wilkinson curled a 25-yard free-kick into the top corner after referee Neil Miller penalised Roberts for fouling John Daly.

Wrexham almost cancelled out Bridge-Wilkinson's opener six minutes later when Spaniard Juan Ugarte saw a header tipped narrowly wide by Cutler after Holt had crossed from the left.

And Trinidadian defender Dennis Lawrence went close to levelling when he volleyed over just after the half-hour mark after Darren Ferguson fed Llewellyn from a short corner before the Welshman delivered a whipping cross.

But the visitors might have stretched their lead when Daly saw a stabbed effort drift harmlessly through to Dibble before Green fired into the side-netting.

And just when it seemed the home team were destined to go into the break one down Holt headed into the bottom corner, leaving Cutler with no chance after Llewellyn delivered an inch-perfect cross.

Just after the break Ferguson fired a right-footed drive straight into Cutler's arms and Ugarte claimed he should have had a penalty for an illegal block on his effort from inside the visitors' box.

Sam also made what looked like a half-hearted appeal for a penalty after claiming he was impeded by defender Danny Adams before Dragons' centre-back Shaun Pejic sent a shot sailing over the crossbar.

Next Ugarte broke down the right and picked out striking colleague Sam, who beat Cutler with a header sent low into the corner of the net after 61 minutes.