Wrexham Vs Portsmouth: Smith and Cleworth Headers Seal 2-1 Victory at Stok Cae Ras
Wrexham secured a 2-1 win over Portsmouth at Stok Cae Ras, with first-half headers from Sam Smith and Max Cleworth putting the hosts in control. The result — the second meeting between the sides this season after a goalless draw in November — moves Wrexham further into the Championship play-off picture.
Wrexham Vs Portsmouth at Stok Cae Ras
Wrexham have taken four points from their two fixtures against Portsmouth this season, after the earlier November meeting finished 0-0. The Red Dragons opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Sam Smith rose to nod Callum Doyle's curling cross across goal and into the net. That cushion was doubled six minutes before the interval when George Dobson's corner was headed in by defender Max Cleworth, giving Wrexham a deserved 2-0 half-time lead.
Sam Smith and Max Cleworth's First-Half Headers
Smith's opener followed a period of early half chances for both sides; the best of those fell to George Thomason on a slick counter but his effort was denied by Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid. Later, Schmid had to tip over a thumping Smith strike, illustrating Wrexham's control. Cleworth's header was the direct result of Dobson's set-piece delivery, and it left the visitors chasing the game at the break.
Zak Swanson's Second-Half Response and Portsmouth Pressure
Portsmouth were ineffectual in the opening 45, finishing the half without a shot on target despite Zak Swanson testing the net with a 30-yard effort that sailed just over on the brink of half-time. They returned from the interval with far greater urgency and reduced the deficit four minutes into the second half when Swanson combined with Regan Poole; his subsequent shot struck Callum Doyle and looped over Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo. Millenic Alli then had an effort blocked as Portsmouth pressed for an equaliser.
Phil Parkinson's Substitutions and Tactical Reaction
Manager Phil Parkinson reacted by introducing top scorer Kieffer Moore and Ollie Rathbone to try to regain control. The changes helped shift momentum: Rathbone rattled the post and Thomason again tested Schmid, but Wrexham managed those late phases professionally to deny Pompey a comeback. John Mousinho's side had been seeking three successive away league wins for the first time since midway through their title-winning 2023-24 League One campaign, but they failed to record a shot on target in the opening 45.
Standings: Sixth Place, Preston North End and the Relegation Picture
The victory leaves Wrexham sixth in the table and opens a three-point lead over seventh-placed Preston North End, strengthening their grip on a Championship play-off spot. Portsmouth remain 19th, now five points clear of the relegation zone, so the second-half improvement narrowed the gap but was not enough to change their position.
What makes this notable is the timing of Wrexham's goals: taking a two-goal lead before half-time allowed them to absorb sustained pressure after the break and still collect back-to-back wins. The match combined clear cause-and-effect moments — Doyle's cross caused Smith's header, Dobson's corner caused Cleworth's finish, and Swanson's one-two with Poole caused the consolation — with managerial interventions that altered but did not overturn the outcome.
Wrexham managed the final stages with experience and structure to preserve the 2-1 scoreline, delivering a result that keeps them moving toward the top six while leaving Portsmouth with areas to address despite a stronger second half showing.
