Josh Windass scored as Wrexham secured a tense 1-0 win over Ipswich to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 1997.
Windass returned home after a close 34-minute contest at Stock Cae Rath, another monumental victory in the rise of the Welsh team under high-profile Hollywood ownership.
Both sides are vying for promotion from the Championship and will meet again at the same venue next week. Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna made 10 changes for the fixture, indicating a rematch in the league is a priority.
The unfamiliarity of Ipswich’s line-up played into Wrexham’s hands, but they failed to capitalize on a goalkeeping error in the first minute and took time to settle into the competition.
They could have taken the lead after Alex Palmer came out of his own area and headed a long ball, but he failed to make clean contact.
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Windass recovered the ball wide and Sam Smith whipped it into the area, but Palmer scrambled back to block his shot.
There was little else to get the crowd excited on the cold night until Windass took the lead in the 34th minute.
George Thomason over-hit a cross from the left, but Ryan Longman recovered on the other side and centered it for Windass to return.
Ollie Rathbone then almost doubled the lead with a turn on the edge of the box, but Palmer made a fine one-handed save to push his curling shot away.
A lively end to a mostly boring first half, with Thomasson firing in a dangerous low cross that Ipswich managed to clear.
After half-time, Jens Cajuste’s long throw-in sparked a goalmouth scuffle, but the visitors came close to taking the lead when Arthur Okonkwo blocked Chuba Akpom’s block in front of goal. Max Cleworth also blocked Akpom’s shot, and Elkan Baggot’s shot went wide.
Ipswich’s urgency forced Wrexham into a long setback, but they weathered the storm and Windass forced a save from Palmer from wide.
Windass had further chances but another shot was blocked before Palmer fired a glancing header. Palmer went forward at a late corner as Ipswich looked to force extra-time, but Wrexham secured a memorable win.
