Salah & Szoboszlai run rings around City in champion display

Culture Axis: New Preds, Messi answers 'Stoke' question & more

The Curious Case of Marcelo

Magical Modric inspires Madrid on Mbappe off-day

KDB looks done! Captain leads City flops in Liverpool loss

Editors' Picks

Walker’s wife Kilner jets to Dubai for night out with Rooney

Antony's hot Betis start is over as Barca flop Roque sees red

'I regret leaving Barca' - Former wonderkid admits mistake after Camp Nou exit

Bompastor admits 'lying for 13 years' over secret relationship

INEOS to distance Man Utd from past as Ferguson blamed for struggles

UCL last-16 draw: Liverpool land PSG, Arsenal face PSV

Maguire, you lucky boy! VAR & Bruno save despairing Amorim

'You are crazy!' - Amorim can't believe he's only won four games

<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Wrexham win 2-0 at Northampton</li><li>Smith and Rathbone score in first half</li><li>Keep up League One promotion push</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

Sam Smith has lift-off! New Wrexham signing bags first goal to fire Red Dragons to crucial victory over Northampton

League One

Northampton

Barnsley

EFL Trophy

Wrexham

Peterborough

<p>Wrexham took the lead in the 19th minute when January signing Smith raced onto a Mark Howard ball over the top, before slotting home to score his first goal for his new team.</p><p>Oliver Rathbone doubled the visitors' lead three minutes later when he scored a scrappy goal as the ball eventually went in off the post.</p><p>James McClean's corner then hit the post, before Rathbone fired just wide as the Welsh side deservedly went into the break two goals to the good.</p><p>Northampton improved in the second half, which also involved a scuffle late on between both teams, but never really looked like threatening the Red Dragons' goal at Sixfields Stadium.</p><p>Parkinson's men remain third in League One, one point behind second-placed Wycombe Wanderers and eight adrift of runaway leaders Birmingham City.</p>

TELL ME MORE

<p>While Eoghan O'Connell put in a confident display at the back and Rathbone was busy throughout, <strong>Smith</strong> took his first Wrexham goal with aplomb and led his team's attack well. Parkinson will hope that is the first of many from the 26-year-old.</p>

THE MVP

<p>Despite having much of the ball in the second half, <strong>Northampton</strong> as a whole barely laid a glove on Wrexham. They failed to register a single shot on target against a side who are not nearly as strong on the road.</p>

THE BIG LOSER

<p>Wrexham will look to kick on from this result when they host League One play-off hopefuls Leyton Orient on Tuesday night at Stok Cae Ras.</p>

WHAT COMES NEXT?

MATCH RATING (OUT OF FIVE): ⭐⭐⭐

Sam Smith has lift-off! New Wrexham signing bags first goal to fire Red Dragons to crucial victory over Northampton | Goal.com

Sam Smith opened his Wrexham account as Phil Parkinson&apos;s side closed the gap on League One&apos;s top two with a comfortable 2-0 win at Northampton Town.

Next matches