Soccer

Stephen Ireland comes to Stoke’s rescue against Wrexham

Cork man scores twice late on in FA Cup tie against non-league opposition

Stoke City’s Stephen Ireland celebrates scoring against Wrexham in the FA Cup, third round match at the Britannia Stadium. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA Wire.
Stoke City’s Stephen Ireland celebrates scoring against Wrexham in the FA Cup, third round match at the Britannia Stadium. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA Wire.
Timothy Abraham at Britannia Stadium
Sun Jan 04 2015 - 17:16

Stoke City 3 Wrexham 1

Stephen Ireland ensured there will be no non-league representatives in the fourth-round draw of the FA Cup after Stoke City were given a fright by a gutsy Wrexham side at the Britannia Stadium.

Stoke were in danger of becoming only the second top-flight team to lose to non-league opposition in the Premier League era when Mark Carrington headed the Conference Premier side ahead with 17 minutes left.

But Marko Arnautovic equalised from close range before the midfielder Ireland grabbed a late double following a generally lethargic showing from Mark Hughes's side.

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Wrexham manager Kevin Wilkin patrolled the technical area throughout the first half, issuing instructions to his charges and they kept their discipline well. However, they were almost punished after a communication breakdown between the goalkeeper, Jonathan Flatt, and centre-back Blain Hudson shortly before the half-hour.

Flatt, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, raced off his line to clear a long ball which Hudson failed to anticipate with his header back towards goal and only a last-ditch block from Flatt denied Mame Diouf an opportunity to shoot at the vacant goal.

That, and Robert Huth’s header over the bar from a corner, was as close as Stoke got before the break. With the fog blowing in over the Britannia Stadium early in the second half it also became less clear which side were the non-league outfit as Wrexham sensed an opportunity.

The visiting fans rose from their seats to voice their anger at the referee, Simon Hooper, shortly before the hour when Jonny Hunt went down in the area under a challenge by Phil Bardsley, but the protests fell on deaf ears.

Moments later the Wrexham contingent were on their feet again when space opened up in front of Wes York on the edge of the box and he watched his curling effort bounce back off the bar.

If Flatt had looked anxious in the first half, he more than redeemed himself for his earlier mistakes with a superb diving one-handed save to tip a header from Peter Crouch, who had been picked out by his fellow substitute Jonathan Walters, round the post.

Wrexham were still positive, though, and got their reward in the 73rd minute when Connor Jennings escaped down the right flank and whipped the ball in for Carrington and he stooped to head home.

The away fans went into raptures but their joy at leading a top-flight club was short-lived as Stoke equalised seven minutes later through Arnautovic who was left with a tap-in after Flatt had parried Crouch’s initial shot.

Wrexham hearts were broken two minutes from time when Ireland’s toe-poke bobbled past Flatt and into the corner of the net from 12 yards out. Ireland then added to the margin of victory in the fourth minute of injury time when he burst into the box and powered a shot past Flatt.