English Football

Wrexham secure Football League promotion via Mullin brace

Wrexham can finally celebrate promotion from the National League. Paul Mullin scored a delightful brace as the Red Dragons beat Boreham Wood 3-1.

The result confirmed the club had won the National League title and had been automatically promoted to League 2.

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds were both in attendance to see Wrexham win their first title in 45 years.

Wrexham made things hard for themselves

The hosts, however, fell behind early in the first minute when Lee Ndlovu lifted his effort over Ben Foster after just 43 seconds. The goal served to silence the vociferous crowd at the Racecourse ground.

Wrexham, however, settled into the game and dominated the proceedings after conceding and they were soon level after 14 minutes. Elliot Lee scored from close range with a free header following a cross from the right wing.

Neither side created any further clear-cut openings in the first-half as they headed into the break at 1-1.

The Welsh club did improve in the second half and took the lead just seven minutes after the restart. Paul Mullin thumped an astonishing strike from the edge of the box to register his 44th goal of the season. From this moment the hosts took control as promotion began to look like a foregone conclusion.

Mullin then scored his second of the day in the 71st minute with a brilliant finish, securing a historic win for his club.

Racecourse Ground saw scenes of chaotic joy

The result means that Wrexham are back in League Two after a 15-year exile and co-owner Rob McElhenney was in tears at the final whistle.

Ryan Reynolds was also in attendance for the game and the co-owners were joined in the stands by Ant Man actor Paul Rudd. The 54-year-old actor had earlier been seen with home fans taking pictures and participating in club chants.

Earlier Reynolds and McElhenney had promised that they would share bonuses of £200,000 should they secure promotion. The Daily Mail have reported that Phil Parkinson’s squad had backed themselves to secure promotion at the start of the campaign.

So confident were they, squad captain Ben Tozer led the negotiations on bonuses with the Hollywood actors. It is believed that the average weekly wage of the squad is around £1000, thus the hefty bonus will come as a nice payoff for the squad.

Photo credit: IMAGO / PA Images

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