Wrexham 3, York City 1

His team produced one of their more positive performances of a frustrating season at the Racecourse Ground in front of the Blue Square Premier’s biggest crowd of the season, assembled to herald Welsh legend Dean Saunders’ first home game in charge.

But, despite Saunders being shown a red card, it was Walker lamenting his luck at the final whistle.

The former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker, in contrast, was sent from his dugout for over-exuberant celebrations following his side’s final goal in a flattering 3-1 victory.

For City, the failure to shoot on sight cost them dearly again.

Both sides had 14 goal attempts but, whereas ten of the home side’s efforts required saves from Wrexham old boy Michael Ingham, the Minstermen only managed four shots on target at the other end.

Craig Farrell’s weak penalty kick and his poor follow-up effort represented two of those opportunities and the former Leeds United reserve’s failure to convert from the spot on the hour proved a major turning point.

Left-winger Simon Russell was equally culpable, though, after failing to even hit the target with two glorious chances late in the first half.

Richard Brodie’s senseless sending off, after being cautioned twice in as many minutes during a disastrous, seven-minute substitute appearance, was also unforgivable with his side only trailing by a goal at the time.

With Walker throwing Welshman Danny Parslow up front as an emergency measure after Neil Taylor added to Joe Allen’s deadlock breaker for the home team, recalled midfielder Ben Wilkinson replied for ten-man City.

But Wrexham clinched their first back-to-back victories in 66 matches when Marc Williams added a clinical third goal in stoppage time.

Earlier, Simon Rusk had the first chance of the night, firing a deflected effort wide from 30 yards in the second minute.

At the other end, Jefferson Louis forced Ingham into a low save from his downward header, while Daniel McBreen saw a long-range snap shot whistle wide for the Minstermen.

Ingham produced a smart save to tip over Silvio Spann’s 30-yard drive on 24 minutes and Louis then headed over from Wes Baynes’ resulting corner.

City centre-back David McGurk did the same in the home penalty box from a Rusk flag kick, before a sloppy Ben Purkiss throw led to Marc Williams testing Ingham with a skidding, 15-yard attempt.

Parslow drove narrowly off target from 30 yards after bursting forward to support the visitors’ attack, but Mark Robinson, placed on the far post, was required to clear off the line after Steve Evans met Baynes’ corner with a towering header.

Russell then squandered his two golden opportunities to give the Minstermen a half-time lead.

In the 45th-minute, he dragged a poor shot across the face of goal after McBreen had hooked the ball over the head of Baynes to give the former Kidderminster midfielder a clear sight of goal.

Just seconds later, in stoppage time, he found himself in an almost identical situation after Mark Greaves’ through ball.

Using his left boot again, he sidefooted past the same post.

City failed to trouble home ’keeper Gavin Ward again two minutes after the interval with Farrell slicing over from 12 yards after Robinson had headed back a deep Purkiss cross at the far post.

Ward was called into action on 55 minutes, however, producing an over-elaborate dive to prevent Russell’s downward volley bouncing up into his top right-hand corner.

Moments later, Ingham produced a fumbling save to keep out a low Spann strike before City suffered their penalty agony.

Rusk was hauled down by Andy Fleming in the box as he shot at goal, following Wilkinson’s through ball and a well-placed Russell Fletcher risked the wrath of a partisan home crowd by pointing to the spot.

But Farrell failed to convert the Minstermen’s first spot kick of the season, with his weak effort too close to Ward’s left and his follow-up effort drilled straight at the exposed Wrexham ’keeper.

Within five minutes, the home side had taken the lead after Spann and Marc Williams combined to tee up Allen who, having burst into the penalty box, belted a 15-yard rising shot that Ingham could only help into the roof of his net.

Seconds later, Farrell was denied a chance to make amends when Carl Tremarco executed an excellent recovery tackle on the edge of the penalty box following McBreen’s through ball.

Brodie’s moments of madness followed as he was first cautioned on 73 minutes for kicking the ball away in anger and then given his marching orders after a lunging challenge near the touchline on Tremarco.

A miserable night for Farrell ended when he was sacrificed for teenage winger Liam Shepherd, who almost made an instant impact when he headed narrowly off target from Russell’s cross.

Wrexham broke to double their advantage on 86 minutes, however, when Marc Williams pulled the ball back from the byline for Taylor to beat Ingham from eight yards with the aid of a deflection off Purkiss’ head.

City reduced the deficit on 90 minutes when McBreen, a trusty target all evening, threaded the ball through for Wilkinson to fire a low shot past Ward from 15 yards.

Hopes of an unlikely point were snuffed out in the second minute of stoppage time when Louis held off a challenge from substitute Darren Kelly 15 yards from goal and laid the ball back for Marc Williams, who bent his edge-of-the-box effort beyond Ingham’s despairing dive to the right.

Match facts

Wrexham 3 (Allen 60; Taylor 85; Marc Williams 90), York City 1 (Wilkinson 88)

City: Michael Ingham 6, Ben Purkiss 7, Danny Parslow 7, David McGurk 7, Mark Robinson 7, Simon Rusk 7, Mark Greaves 7, Ben Wilkinson 7, Simon Russell 5, Craig Farrell 5, Daniel McBreen 7.

Substitutions: Richard Brodie (for Greaves, 68) Liam Shepherd (for Farrell, 76) Darren Kelly (for Russell, 86).

Subs not used: Mimms, Henderson.

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire.

City’s star man: Parslow – gave a determined display at the back in his home country before being pushed forward at the death.

Wrexham: Gavin Ward, Wes Baynes, Mike Williams, Steve Evans, Carl Tremarco, Silvio Spann (Levi Mackin, 79), Andy Fleming, Joe Allen, Neil Taylor, Jefferson Louis, Marc Williams.

Subs not used: Anthony Williams, Darren Kempson, Shaun Whalley, Michael Proctor.

Yellow cards: Spann 39, Louis 50, Brodie 73.

Red card: Brodie 75.

Shots on target: Wrexham 10 York 4

Shots off target: Wrexham 4 York 10

Corners: Wrexham 9 York 6

Fouls conceded: Wrexham 14 York 6

Offsides: Wrexham 3 York 1

Referee: Russell Fletcher (Oxford).

Rating: got most decisions right, but Louis should have perhaps been shown red rather than yellow for a stamp on Russell.

Attendance: 5,173 (196 from York).

Miss of the match: Either of Russell’s poor efforts at the end of the first half.

Tackle of the match: Tremarco’s challenge on Farrell.

Blunder of the match: Brodie’s daft booking for kicking the ball away.

City player watch: Ben Wilkinson

Goal attempts on target: 1

Goal attempts off target: 0

Blocked goal attempts: 1

Passes to own player: 22

Passes to opposition: 5

Crosses to own player: 1

Crosses to opposition: 1

Pass completion rate: 79.3 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 1

Dribbles ball lost: 1

Dribble completion rate: 50 per cent

Headers: 3

Tackles: 6

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 3

Fouls won: 2

Fouls conceded: 0

Offsides: 0

Yellow cards: 0

Final summary: Ben Wilkinson crowned a decent display with his first senior goal for City. The former Hull City reserve played out of position on the right flank but worked hard, although his unfamiliarity with the position was illustrated by just two crosses in 90 minutes. He was reliable in possession and not afraid to make a tackle.