Birmingham 3 – 1 Wrexham

Birmingham Metropolis got here from behind to beat fellow League One promotion hopefuls Wrexham 3-1, with David Beckham, Tom Brady and Rob McElhenney watching from the stands.

The ambiance was intimidating from the beginning however Wrexham quickly silenced the St Andrew’s followers by way of Jack Marriott, who was dismissed for his goal-scoring efficiency towards Shrewsbury Keep apart, not Paul Mullin.

The striker was the primary to react within the penalty space and fired the ball into the underside nook in simply the third minute after Birmingham didn’t clear from a set-piece.

Tensions started to construct contained in the stadium after the opener however Jay Stansfield calmed them down after making an excellent save from Arthur Okonkwo to equalize – his first transfer from Fulham in the summertime. The primary objective because the everlasting switch.

Whereas this was detrimental to the circulate of the sport, it actually galvanized Chris Davies’ aspect and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Willem Willemson threatened.

Birmingham picked up the place they left off after the break and their dominance was finally rewarded with Stansfield’s second objective of the night time with a intelligent header into the far nook.

Davies made two modifications to the beginning line-up, bringing in Stansfield and Tomoki Iwata, who scored the third objective late within the sport with a shocking long-range shot that even Beckham himself would have remembered. Really feel proud.

With the sport heating up, captain Christian Bielik’s late pink card barely tarnished the win, however that did little to distract followers as Birmingham had already rocketed into the automated with a efficiency like this Promotion seats.

blue carpet rolled out

The prospect of those two league title contenders going head-to-head is so tantalizing that not even Hollywood can resist.

The pre-match appearances of Birmingham chairman Tom Wagner, minority shareholder Tom Brady and Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney prompted a stir as they paraded pitchside in anticipation of what was forward of them Any media duties.

After taking arguably the best American rugby participant of all time and Wrexham’s Hollywood affiliate off the record, there’s just one man followers are determined to catch a glimpse of.

Shortly earlier than kick-off, information of Beckham’s arrival hit the gang – in the event that they weren’t a part of the gang that swarmed into the stadium. Suffice it to say, it simply provides to the occasion ambiance.

Beckham has confronted Birmingham twice in his profession, together with a powerful efficiency at Outdated Trafford within the 2002/03 season, the place he contributed a objective and an help in Manchester United’s 2-0 win.

Stansfield have repaid document switch payment

Sky Sports activities Patrick Crow:

“Birmingham’s £15m transfer to carry former followers’ favourite Jay Stansfield again to the membership following a profitable mortgage transfer to the West Midlands final season has raised eyebrows.

“Nonetheless, along with his sensible equalizer to get the workforce again into the sport and his header to place them forward, he has began to show that he’s price each penny.

“Along with his chairman within the stands watching his first two objectives since finishing his record-breaking switch, he can sleep peacefully understanding that his arduous work has began to repay after taking them above their promotion rivals. “