FA CupFirst roundWrexham 1 Lowestoft Town 0A DEFLECTED 88th minute header was enough to sink brave Lowestoft Town and end their fabulous FA Cup run in the Welsh gloom on Saturday.

FA Cup

First round

Wrexham 1 Lowestoft Town 0

A DEFLECTED 88th minute header was enough to sink brave Lowedtoft Town and end their fabulous FA Cup run in the Welsh gloom on Saturday.

The Trawler Boys battled superbly and deserved at least a replay after an excellent showing at the Blue Square Premier side's Racecourse Ground.

But just as thoughts were turning to a return match at Crown Meadow, the Dragons' skipper Gareth Taylor got on the end of a Wes Baynes free-kick and saw his header completely wrong-foot goalkeeper Andy Reynolds and roll into the corner.

It was heartbreak for Town and their tremendous backing of 371 travelling fans, but despite six minutes of injury time, they could not force an equaliser.

As expected, the home side forced all the play in the first half but Town had their moments when Adam Smith tried a speculative 40 yard lob which cleared home keeper Chris Maxwell but went just a foot too high.

With minutes until the interval, Town's centre back Greg Crane was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch when he hauled down Jamie McCluskey but was only booked.

And Town survived again as Taylor lobed wide of an open goal from 25 yards out after Reynolds rushed out of the box to clear with a header.

The second half was a similar story with Town soaking up a lot of pressure. Taylor should have opened the scoring with 15 minutes left to play but planted his free header straight at Reynolds went it seemed he had to score.

The Blues were clinging on and were offering little up front, although they looked likely to grab a draw their efforts deserved.

But as legs tired, Taylor struck and Lamine Sakho could have added to the scoreline in injury time when his lob from 40 yards bounced over as Lowestoft strived in vain for an equaliser.

Wrexham: Maxwell, Obeng, Westwood, Assoumani, Mike Williams, Taboubi, G Taylor, Baynes, Fleming, McCluskey, Sakho. Subs: Russell, Jones, Marc Williams, N Taylor, Fairhurst, Cieslewicz, Wolfenden.

Lowestoft Town: Reynolds, Plaskett, Smith, Holt, Crane, Halliday, Godbold, Fisk, Nolan, Dale Cockrill, Mitchell.

Subs: Marsden, McGee, Darren Cockrill, Potter, King, Bussens, Hunn.