Wrexham thump four past dismal Preston

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Wrexham and Preston North End at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday; Ben Whiteman among the goals against his own club as Red Dragons pile more misery on struggling Lilywhites.

Wrexham eased the pressure on Phil Parkinson with a 4-1 Sky Bet Championship win over rock-bottom Preston.

Joe Worrall scored his first goal in more than two years and, after Alfie Devine briefly brought Preston level, former Lilywhites midfielder Ben Whiteman struck next to score his first goal in Wrexham colours.

Sam Smith gave the hosts breathing space just before the hour and Kieffer Moore killed it off moments later.

In a week that had seen former Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard linked with the manager's job, Wrexham's third league win of the season was a vital one as they moved up to 14th.

But Preston remain stuck on four points from 11 games, with Graham Alexander having lost his first three games in charge.

Parkinson got a big show of support from the home fans before kick-off but his side started on the back foot, with Worrall heading Odel Offiah's lobbed effort off the line before Andrew Hughes headed narrowly wide.

Parkinson had made four changes, bringing in Smith to add more firepower, but it took some time for them to start to put any pressure on struggling Preston.

Callum O'Hare's stabbed effort was pushed around the post by Daniel Iversen and Smith had a low shot saved before the breakthrough came from an unlikely source.

Worrall, a summer signing from Burnley, had not scored since a late winner for Besiktas against Rizespor in May 2024, but the big defender rose highest to head in Danny Imray's curled cross on his home debut.

That was a little bit of unwanted history for Preston, who equalled a club record set in 1969-70 for the longest run of league matches without a clean sheet at 26.

But Wrexham have been struggling at the back themselves this term, with their only clean sheet coming in a goalless draw with Swansea, and five minutes later the visitors were level.

Moore lost possession in midfield and Preston quickly worked it wide to Johnny Kenny. His angled shot was deflected but the ball fell for Devine who made no mistake for his first goal since March - and Preston's first since Alexander took over last month.

Wrexham's second was a painful one for the visitors. Imray's cross was only half-cleared and fell for former Preston man Whiteman to hit a low shot which left Iversen wrong-footed and the midfielder almost apologetically celebrating.