Wrexham wrapped up their pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand with a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Wellington Phoenix, as a costly error from goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo gifted the A-League side victory at Sky Stadium.
The match was finely balanced until the 49th minute, when Luke Flowerdew pounced on a mistake from Okonkwo to score the only goal of the game. The Red Dragons’ shot-stopper failed to deal with a routine low cross inside the six-yard box, fumbling it into the path of Flowerdew, who slotted home with ease.
It was a disappointing end to Wrexham’s Antipodean adventure, which saw them lose two of their three fixtures in what was meant to be a morale-boosting international tour ahead of their 2025-26 Championship return.
Despite the loss, Wrexham carved out several opportunities to get back into the game. Elliot Lee came closest to levelling just moments after the opener, but his powerful header rattled the woodwork. Later, Lee was denied again by a brilliant save from Phoenix goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi, who proved to be the standout player on the night.
Ollie Palmer thought he had found the equaliser midway through the second half, only for his finish to be chalked off for handball, adding to Wrexham’s growing frustrations.
New forward Ryan Hardie was handed a start and looked lively early on, but the summer signing couldn’t make his mark and was substituted for Palmer after 63 minutes.
Meanwhile, academy prospect Harry Ashfield impressed in midfield, showing composure beyond his years and creating one of Wrexham’s best chances. The 19-year-old looks ready to play a bigger role this season and is certainly one to watch as the competitive action resumes.
Phil Parkinson’s men now return to the UK and shift their focus to the Championship opener against Southampton on August 9 — a high-stakes fixture that will mark Wrexham’s long-awaited return to the second tier.
While the Wellington loss won’t derail their preparations, it does highlight a few areas needing improvement — most notably in defensive concentration and clinical finishing.
