Wrexham Ends 44-Year Drought with Stunning Achievement That Proves 'We Belong'

Wrexham advanced to the EFL Cup third round for the first time in over four decades following a thrilling 3-2 triumph against Preston North End on Tuesday night.

A dramatic late strike from Kieffer Moore sealed an incredible turnaround in England's second-tier cup tournament. Lewis Dobbin opened the scoring for the home side before Ryan Hardie fired the Red Dragons back on level terms.

Liam Lindsay restored Preston's advantage prior to the break. Harry Ashfield found Wrexham's second equalizer of the evening, and it seemed this Championship clash would head to penalties as the match at Deepdale entered stoppage time. Moore had different plans.

The towering forward, among 10 permanent additions this summer, positioned himself perfectly to capitalize on Jack Walton's fumbled save.

Wrexham have faced challenges adapting to England's second division after their recent promotion. Following a devastating late collapse on opening day versus Southampton and a 3-2 loss to West Bromwich Albion, the club jointly owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney secured their maiden Championship point last weekend.

Boss Phil Parkinson viewed Tuesday's cup success as another crucial milestone in his team's progress this campaign. "It's about growth and we deserve to compete at this standard," he declared after the match. "Sure, it's a cup fixture, but they're an excellent Championship squad. I want us to display confidence and recognize we belong here, which we demonstrated tonight."

"I'm delighted, it's been a positive evening for us," Parkinson added. "I thought we responded well in the first half after conceding. I felt we lost confidence following their second strike. In the second half we showed real determination and earned the victory.

"We controlled large portions of the game and I was impressed with our response from halftime onwards."

For the first time since 1981, Wrexham will participate in the EFL Cup third round draw. Four decades earlier, the Welsh club was eliminated by a star-studded Tottenham Hotspur team featuring Ossie Ardiles and Glenn Hoddle. Spurs will again be included in the draw, alongside powerhouses like Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.