Wrexham Beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 As Rathbone Fires Finishing Volley

Wrexham opened 2026 with an impressive away win, defeating Blackburn Rovers 2-0 in the Championship. First-half goals from Sam Smith and Oliver Rathbone settled the contest at Ewood Park. The result extended

Phil Parkinson's side's league winning run to three matches and pulled Wrexham within one point of the Championship playoff positions.

The victory also carried historical weight for Wrexham. The Welsh club claimed an EFL success on New Year’s Day for the first time since 1966. That result ended a sequence of eight league fixtures without a win on 1 January, a period that had produced two draws and six defeats.

Wrexham struck early against a struggling Blackburn Rovers team. After 11 minutes, Matty James launched a long pass beyond the home defence. Sam Smith controlled the ball smartly and finished at the near post. The direct approach troubled Blackburn repeatedly, with Wrexham targeting space behind the back line from deeper areas.

Oliver Rathbone almost doubled the advantage soon afterwards, only for Sean McLoughlin to block inside the penalty area. Pressure continued, and Wrexham’s second goal arrived in the 38th minute. Ryan Hedges failed to clear a mis-hit James free-kick, Dan Scarr headed across goal, and Rathbone volleyed past goalkeeper Aynsley Pears.

Blackburn Rovers improved after the interval and finally built attacking rhythm. Moussa Baradji came closest for the hosts, striking the crossbar with a powerful effort. At the opposite end, Pears produced an excellent save to deny Lewis O’Brien. Despite that chance, Wrexham maintained defensive discipline and protected the clean sheet through the closing stages.

The match statistics underlined how competitive the game remained despite Wrexham’s two-goal win. Blackburn registered more attempts but created slightly fewer clear chances than Wrexham, whose superior finishing proved decisive in both penalty areas at Ewood Park.

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Rathbone’s contribution extended beyond scoring Wrexham’s second goal. The midfielder now has three goals in the last five appearances. This fixture marked Rathbone’s first start since returning from injury. Rathbone won 14 of 17 duels, recovered possession nine times, drew four fouls and made three interceptions, leading Wrexham in each category.

Starting the New Year off with points #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/klUUVj5X2bWrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) January 1, 2026

The numbers further highlighted how accuracy in both boxes separated the teams. Blackburn recorded 0.64 expected goals from 12 attempts, while Wrexham produced 0.77 xG from only seven shots. That sharper finishing, combined with organised defending, allowed Wrexham to start 2026 strongly and strengthen a growing Championship promotion push.