Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Wrexham: Red Dragons kick off 2026 with comfortable victory
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Wrexham at Ewood Park on New Year's Day; Sam Smith and Ollie Rathbone score in comfortable victory for Phil Parkinson's side.
Thursday 1 January 2026 15:58, UK
Ollie Rathbone marked his first league start of the campaign with a goal-of-the-season contender as Wrexham brushed aside Blackburn 2-0 to rack up their third straight Championship win.
Phil Parkinson's side were without an away win in eight outings and made the trip to Ewood Park without injured duo Kieffer Moore and Josh Windass.
But Sam Smith and Rathbone deputised to devastating effect as Wrexham flew out of the traps and Smith finished clinically in the 11th minute for his second goal of the season.
Rathbone doubled the advantage with a sublime volley, catching the ball perfectly as it dropped over his shoulder to score for the second successive game.
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Although Moussa Baradji struck the woodwork in the second half for Blackburn, Wrexham never looked like surrendering the lead.
It was as insipid as Blackburn have been at home and, with one win in eight, Rovers will need to be much better to extinguish relegation concerns.
Blackburn's Matty Litherland started brightly, firing over from 20 yards, but Wrexham hit the front in the 11th minute, catching the high Rovers defence cold as Matty James lofted a superbly-weighted ball to the onrushing Smith, who took a touch before rifling in a left-footed shot that beat Aynsley Pears too easily at his near post.
Rampant Wrexham almost added another in the 21st minute. Again they were sharper to the ball, dispossessing Todd Cantwell before Ryan Longman's right-wing cross was diverted into the side-netting by Smith.
Parkinson's men were in complete control and made their dominance count with a spectacular second in the 38th minute.
A set-piece was deftly headed into the danger area by Dan Scarr towards Rathbone 12 yards out. He still had much to do but, under pressure from Ryan Hedges, connected with a sensational volley that flew over Pears and into the net.
Rovers tried to hit back immediately, with Sondre Tronstad trying his luck with a powerful volley of his own, but his goalbound effort was blocked.
Valerien Ismael's side could not have been much worse in the first half but came mightily close to reducing the arrears in the 56th minute when Litherland's pass into the area found Baradji, who brought the ball under control superbly before unleashing a ferocious shot that cannoned off the underside of the bar but bounced in front of the line and away.
They were almost immediately punished on the break when Smith sent Lewis O'Brien clear, only for Pears to produce an impressive stop to palm his strike behind.
Yuki Ohashi dragged a late effort wide, but Wrexham eased to victory and the full-time whistle was met by a chorus of boos.
The managers
Blackburn's Valerien Ismael:
"It's tough, another setback in terms of result. But, on the other hand, I can't complain about the boys. They tried to go again. I think the lack of energy today, decision making, always coupled with tiredness.
"We lost the game in the first half. I think that we concede the first goal, we can avoid it. The second goal is a great shot.
"We tried to find some energy for the second half and were much better. We said at half-time we have to be the next team scoring and maybe you can have the game on.
"Moussa (Baradji) got the big opportunity (when he struck the underside of the bar) but apart from that we tried. We are at limit. We lost two players again (to injury).
"It's clear we touched the limit with the squad. The boys try to go again, to give their best, but at some point, if you don't have the possibility to rotate, it will be difficult."
Wrexham's assistant manager Steve Parkin:
"Team selection was really important to start with, great lads coming in, all in good nick, all training well and bounced into the game.
"Smudge (Smith) has gone through and got us off and running with the goal he scored, beautiful ball from Matty James.
"We were pretty much in control of the game in the first half. Second half Blackburn came into it, but I think the damage had already been done."
