Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and fellow Hollywood star Hugh Jackman watched Wrexham’s long-awaited English Football League return finish in a 5-3 dwelling humbling by the hands of MK Dons.
Saturday’s encounter was an emotional event in north Wales as a sell-out crowd watched their aspect play their first Sky Bet League Two recreation since 2008.
But Wrexham returned with a bump in entrance of formidable house owners Reynolds and McElhenney, with the dominant Dons turning into the primary aspect to win on the SToK Racecourse since November 2021.
These sides had been two divisions aside simply three months in the past and the guests shortly confirmed their high quality, taking a two-goal lead simply 10 minutes into Graham Alexander’s first recreation in cost.
Ben Foster couldn’t forestall Eoghan O’Connell’s personal objective or Mohamed Eisa’s glorious solo effort, with Jacob Mendy lowering the deficit simply earlier than half-time as Wrexham celebrated a primary EFL objective in 5,572 days.
But the beginning of what supervisor Phil Parkinson known as a “new era” proved a chastening one, with Jonathan Leko drilling dwelling from distance after which beating Foster once more because the Dons pulled additional forward.
Wrexham grabbed one again via hometown hero Jordan Davies, earlier than the Dons’ Daniel Harvie and residential substitute Anthony Forde accomplished the scoring in stoppage time.
The hosts had been with out injured star striker Paul Mullin and new signing James McClean on the Racecourse, the place Parkinson’s males seemed nervy and went behind within the sixth minute.
O’Connell headed Ethan Robson’s free-kick into his personal objective, with MJ Williams quickly seeing a shot hit the publish earlier than the Dons’ second arrived within the tenth minute.
Eisa confirmed glorious ability and perseverance earlier than finally prodding beneath Foster to stun the Racecourse devoted and delight the 1,115 away followers.
Ryan Barnett had reduce in to flash a strike over on the different finish shortly earlier than, however Wrexham struggled to take care of the two-goal intestine punch and created little in the way in which of clear-cut possibilities.
Foster did nicely to cease a Leko effort from the sting of the field as MK Dons pushed for a 3rd, just for Wrexham to cut back the deficit within the forty second minute.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman at a Wrexham recreation on 5 August 2023
(Hugh Jackman/Twitter)
Billy Waters noticed his effort denied by Dons goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray, with Mendy firing dwelling the rebound and restoring hope.
Wrexham seemed to kick on when the second half obtained below means, solely to fall additional behind to a thumping 51st minute Leko strike as referee Tom Reeves allowed play to proceed regardless of Andy Cannon being left in a heap.
Parkinson made a triple change however his aspect had been quickly additional behind, with spectacular Leko beating the offside entice after which Foster to internet his second of the afternoon within the sixty fourth minute.
Substitute Ollie Palmer noticed an effort smothered and fellow introduction Davies flashed narrowly over as Wrexham seemed to tug one again, with the latter lastly burying dwelling a stunner within the 82nd minute.
Wrexham pushed for extra and Forde curled dwelling brilliantly in stoppage time, though Harvie had simply prolonged the guests’ lead because the Dons ran out deserved winners.