Wrexham closed out a memorable 2025 in fitting fashion with a 2-1 victory over Preston North End at the Stok Cae Ras, a result that delivered back-to-back Championship wins for the first time this season and extended their unbeaten home run to 10 league games. Nathan Broadhead’s first-half header and a composed late finish from substitute Ollie Rathbone proved enough for Phil Parkinson’s side, despite Alfie Devine’s reply setting up a tense finale.
The win lifted Wrexham to 11th in the table, just four points adrift of the play-off positions at the end of a year in which they achieved an unprecedented third-consecutive promotion. For Preston, beaten in the league for only the fifth time this campaign, a seven-game unbeaten run came to an end and they slipped out of the top six after Watford’s late winner against Norwich, underlining how costly fine margins can be in the Championship.
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Three days on from Wrexham’s thrilling 5-3 Boxing Day comeback against Sheffield United, this contest began in far more subdued fashion. Neither side seriously threatened in the early stages, with Preston piecing together the first incisive move of the night only for Brad Potts, making his first start of the season after a hamstring injury, to be thwarted as Arthur Okonkwo bravely smothered at his feet.