Blackburn Rovers 4-1 Wrexham (Jan 29, 2024) Game Analysis

Sammie Szmodics scored twice as second-tier Blackburn Rovers came from behind to beat lowly Wrexham 4-1 on Monday and secure an FA Cup fifth round clash with Premier League Newcastle United.

Andy Cannon fired League Two Wrexham ahead in the 19th minute, but the Championship side replied with two more first half goals in the space of two minutes.

Szmodics equalised in the 32nd and Sam Gallagher made it 2-1 in the 34th with Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo caught out of position.

Szmodics then grabbed his second, and fifth of the FA Cup campaign, in first-half stoppage time before Norwegian midfielder Sondre Tronstad made it 4-1 with a deflected shot in the 59th.

Cannon’s goal was Wrexham’s first real chance and he blasted the ball past goalkeeper Aynsley Pears to a roar from the 7,000 Wrexham fans who had made the trip to Blackburn’s Ewood Park.

Pears denied Cannon a second with a fine double save three minutes later but there was to be no fairytale finish for the Welsh side as Blackburn turned up the heat and swept the visitors aside.

Wrexham have won a new global support since movie A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over and helped secure their return to the English Football League last season after a 15-year absence.

Those with longer memories will know Wrexham as past giant-killers, famously dumping then-league champions Arsenal out of the third round of FA Cup in a huge 1992 upset as fourth-tier opponents.