Birmingham 3-1 Wrexham: David Beckham and Tom Brady watch on as Jay Stansfield fires Blues previous Crimson Dragons

Birmingham Metropolis got here from behind to safe a powerful 3-1 victory towards fellow League One promotion candidates Wrexham, as David Beckham, Tom Brady and Rob McElhenney watched on from the stands.

It was an intimidating ambiance in the beginning of the sport however Wrexham rapidly silenced the St Andrew’s crowd by way of Jack Marriott, who was stored within the facet over Paul Mullin on account of his goalscoring efficiency towards Shrewsbury.

The striker was first to the react within the penalty space, after Birmingham had did not clear their strains from a set-piece, and lashed the ball into the underside nook in simply the third minute.

Stress was starting to develop within the stadium following the opener, however Jay Stansfield settled the nerves after pouncing on Arthur Okonkwo’s parried save to faucet dwelling the equaliser – his first purpose since securing a everlasting transfer from Fulham this summer season.

It was towards the run of play however actually spurred Chris Davies’ facet on, with Willum Willumsson threatening shortly after.

Birmingham picked up from the place they’d left off after the interval and their domination finally paid off with Stansfield grabbing his second of the night with a wise, guided header into the far nook.

Davies made two modifications to his beginning line-up, bringing Stansfield and Tomoki Iwata in, and it was the latter who would add a 3rd simply after the hour mark with a surprising long-range effort that even Beckham himself would have been pleased with.

A late pink for captain Krystian Bielik, as the sport boiled over, barely tarnished the win however that won’t distract followers from the actual fact Birmingham have catapulted themselves into the automated promotion locations with this efficiency, stage on factors with Wrexham on the summit.

Blue carpet rolled out

The prospect of those two League One title contenders going head-to-head was so tantalising, even Hollywood couldn’t resist.

Birmingham chair Tom Wagner, minority proprietor Tom Brady and Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney all triggered a stir with their presence earlier than the sport, as they paraded spherical pitchside for any – and each – media responsibility that stood earlier than them.

After ticking arguably the best American soccer participant of all time and Wrexham’s Hollywood co-owner off the checklist, there was just one man followers had been determined to catch a glimpse of.

The information of Beckham’s arrival swept by way of the group – in the event that they weren’t a part of the group swarming his entrance into the stadium – shortly earlier than kick-off. It’s honest to say it solely added to the occasion ambiance.

Beckham confronted Birmingham twice in his profession, together with a powerful efficiency at Outdated Trafford in 2002/03, which noticed him file a purpose and help throughout a 2-0 win for Manchester United.

Stansfield repaying file switch payment already

Sky Sports activities Patrick Rowe:

“Eyebrows had been rightly raised when Birmingham splashed upwards of £15m to carry former fan favorite Jay Stansfield again to the membership, following a profitable mortgage transfer to the West Midlands final season.

“Nevertheless, together with his well-taken equaliser to fireplace his facet again into the sport and his looping header to offer them the lead, he’s already starting to point out he was value each single penny.

“His chairman was in the stands to watch his first two goals since completing the record-breaking transfer – and he can sleep soundly knowing it is beginning to pay off already after guiding them past their promotion rivals.”

Parkinson: Errors value Wrexham

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson:

“I thought we were excellent at the start. We got the goal, switched the play well and contained them really well. With their first shot on target they got a goal back.

“I simply mentioned to the lads we have not had many setbacks by way of conceding just lately, and our response to it wasn’t what it wanted to be. We gave it away too cheaply and gave it again too many instances.

“Second half we were sat a bit too deep and didn’t engage quickly enough, and got undone by two moments of real quality.”