Portsmouth's unbeaten run on the road comes to an end at the hands of Play-Off chasing Wrexham.
First half goals from Sam Smith and then Max Cleworth were enough for Phil Parkinson’s side to give Portsmouth their first defeat in almost two weeks.
Despite Zak Swanson’s consolation early on in the second-half, and 15 corner kicks, John Mousinho’s side were unable to snatch an equaliser and another point on the board.
The narrow defeat means that the Blues do stay 19th in the Championship, five points above Leicester City, and four above West Bromwich Albion, who both drew 1-1 in their respective games.
It was unchanged XI to the side that defeated Millwall last Saturday, but on the bench, Conor Chaplin returned to the squad, as he replaced Reuben Swann.
In the opening stages, it was a matter of both sides trying to cancel each other out on the counterattack, with Gustavo Caballero for Pompey and Josh Windass for Wrexham both causing threats.
It was the hosts who took the lead just over 20 minutes, when Smith leaped over Connor Ogilvie, before heading home Callum Doyle’s ball past Nicolas Schmid to make it 1-0.
The Red Dragons then doubled their lead when Cleworth headed in George Dobson’s corner at the near post, to make it 2-0, 39 minutes gone.
Pompey were then forced into their first change of the afternoon, when John Swift felt the back of his leg; he was subsequently replaced by Adrian Segečić.
HALF-TIME: Wrexham 2-0 Portsmouth
Mousinho made a further change at the interval, with Harvey Blair making his first appearance since the defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup last month; he came on for Caballero.
And it was an instant reaction straight into the second 45, as Swanson pulled a goal back for visitors, when his one-two with Regan Poole, played in a deflected effort that lobbed over Arthur Okonkwo, making it 2-1, on 49 minutes.
Portsmouth kept piling on the pressure for an equaliser, with the sub Blair and Alli on both wings causing issues for the hosts’ back 3.
It was then a double change, with Ebou Adams and Swanson coming off for Chaplin and Ibane Bowat with ten minutes of normal time remaining.
And then before the four minutes of stoppage time, January addition from FK Haugesund.
Madiodio Dia came on for his Blues debut for Poole.
Yet again Pompey smashed the corner stats, with 15 of them occurring throughout the 90; however, it was not enough to snatch a point late on.
FULL-TIME: Wrexham 2-1 Portsmouth
Next up: On Saturday, John Mousinho’s side return to Fratton Park, as the Blues welcome Sergej Jakirović’s Hull City, in a 12:30 kick-off.
Wrexham: 1. Okonkwo (GK), 4. Cleworth, 5. Hyam (C), 2. Doyle, 12. Kaboré, 15. Dobson, 27. O’Brien, 14. Thomason, 10. Windass (20. Rathbone), 33. Broadhead (26. Vyner), 28. Smith (19. Moore) (Formation: 3-4-2-1)
Unused subs: 21. Ward (GK), 7. Keillor-Dunn, 11. Cadamarteri, 24. Scarr, 29. Barnett, 47. Longman
Goals: Smith 23’, Cleworth 39’
Manager: Phil Parkinson
Portsmouth: 1. Schmid (GK), 24. Devlin, 5. Poole (55. Dia), 3. Ogilvie, 22. Swanson (17. Bowat), 7. Pack (C), 38. Adams (36. Chaplin), 8. Swift (10. Segečić), 27. Alli, 47. Caballero (29. Blair), 9. Bishop (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 26. Bursik (GK), 2. Williams, 16. Le Roux, 40. Brown
Goals: Swanson 49’
Bookings: Poole 29’
Head coach: John Mousinho
Referee: Tom Reeves
Venue: The Racecourse Ground
Attendance: 10,499 (including 1,300+ Pompey fans)
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