Report | Wrexham 2 Swansea City 0
Nathan Broadhead’s first-half strike and a late Callum Doyle effort condemned Swansea City to defeat against Wrexham at the Racecourse.
The Swans had the better of the opening half, with Goncalo Franco and Zan Vipotnik having the best of their chances.
But Broadhead had the hosts ahead at the interval after showing great composure to finish after being found by a pass into the area.
The second half was a more even affair, with Marko Stamenic’s volley being as close as Swansea came to a leveller despite Vitor Matos’ side dominating possession and producing so much good play between both boxes.
And their frustrations were compounded when Doyle bundled home from a George Thomason cross via a deflection with two minutes of the 90 to play.
The Swans showed two changes from the midweek win at Portsmouth as Stamenic and Gustavo Nunes came in for Jay Fulton and Jisung Eom respectively.
Swansea had the first chance inside 40 seconds, seizing on a sloppy pass from Doyle with Franco driving forward.
The midfielder had Vipotnik in support but took the shot on instead, and fired straight into the gloves of Arthur Okonkwo.
The bright Swansea start continued as Ronald turned George Thomason inside and out before swinging in a cross that was claimed by the keeper, while Nunes clipped the face off the crossbar with a delivery of his own a few moments later.
Wrexham responded, and Lawrence Vigouroux made a sensational fingertip save to prevent a glancing Broadhead header from finding the far corner of the net.
Thomason was skinned again by Ronald a few moments later, with Dominic Hyam making a crucial clearance as the Brazilian fizzed a ball across the box.
Swansea crafted the best chance so far when a lovely give and go between Vipotnik and Franco ended with the Slovenian through on goal, but Okonkwo made a fine low save and Wrexham were able to scramble clear.
Swansea had made all the running but they fell behind in the 25th minute as a simple ball into the channel found Broadhead, and he beat the last defender, opened his body up and fired into the net despite Vigouroux getting something on the shot.
The visitors responded well to the setback, continuing to dominate the ball and pose a threat to their hosts, and Okonkwo made an outstanding save from Stamenic after the New Zealander had met a knockdown from Ben Cabango, although the offside flag ensured the strike would not have counted.
At the other end Sam Smith should have turned in a fine low cross from Issa Koabore, while Doyle headed back across goal and wide from a deep corner as the hosts ended the half a goal to the good.
Broadhead sent a curling effort narrowly wide of the Swansea goal early in the second period, moments after Nunes had failed to find Vipotnik after a superb through ball from Cabango had opened up the Wrexham defence.
Ollie Rathbone saw a volley saved by Vigouroux before Matos turned to his bench as Liam Cullen, Malick Yalcouye and Eom were summoned in place of Nunes, Franco and Ronald respectively.
Stamenic forced a sharp low stop from Okonkwo with a fine volley off the back of a half-cleared chip into the box, before Yalcouye fired narrowly off target after showing neat footwork.
Yalcouye blasted wide after a Tymon shot had caused a scramble in the area as time began to run out for the Swans, and they were unable to find a leveller, with Doyle on hand to capitalise as his header from Thomason's threatening delivery took a deflection to find the net and seal the three points for the hosts.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Josh Key, Ben Cabango (captain), Cameron Burgess, Josh Tymon (Leo Walta 82); Marko Stamenic (Melker Widell 74), Goncalo Franco (Malick Yalcouye 59), Ethan Galbraith; Ronald (Jisung Eom 59), Gustavo Nunes (Liam Cullen 59), Zan Vipotnik.
Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher. Jay Fulton, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Joel Ward.
Wrexham: Arthur Okonkwo, Callum Doyle, Max Cleworth, Dominic Hyam (captain), Issa Kabore, George Thomason, Ollie Rathbone, Zak Vyner, Lewis O'Brien, Sam Smith (Bailey Cadamarteri 85), Nathan Broadhead (Josh Windass 67).
Unused Substitutes: Danny Ward, Lewis Brunt, Davis Keillor-Dunn, Jay Rodriguez, Dan Scarr, Ryan Barnett, Ryan Longman.
Referee: Tom Nield
Attendance: 10,641 (1,283 away)