Wrexham beat Preston as Nathan Broadhead and Ollie Rathbone take Red Dragons into top half of Championship - but Kieffer Moore suffers suspected injury

Sticking with the three-pronged forward line which sparkled in the 5-3 thriller against Sheffield United last time out, two of its members - Broadhead and leading goalscorer Moore - each had chances to break the deadlock, but both strikers were thwarted by the brilliant reactions of Preston goalkeeper Daniel Iversen.

However, the two combined just moments later when Moore showed tremendous footwork to dribble past Preston defender Jordan Storey down the right flank, before his superb cross was headed home by Broadhead, who showed terrific movement to lose Liam Lindsay inside the penalty area.

But in a massive blow right on the stroke of half time, Wrexham hero Moore soon hit the deck in a heap of pain. Struggling with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, the 33-year-old limped off to a standing ovation as the hosts finished the first half with ten men.

Turning to substitute Sam Smith as Moore’s replacement, Wrexham were unable to pick up from where they left off in opening 45 minutes as Preston’s Thierry Small forced a superb save from Arthur Okonkwo in the early stages of the second half.

Looking to apply more pressure to a Wrexham backline which failed to keep a clean sheet in their previous six games, Preston went close again when the lively Alfie Devine fired wide from inside the six-yard box.

However, Wrexham were able to weather the storm and they soon went close to doubling their lead when recently-converted wing-back George Thomason picked out Smith, but the 27-year-old was off balance as he struck the post from close range.

So often a threat in the closing stages of games, having scored nine goals from the 75th-minute mark onwards, Wrexham made that figure 10 as Rathbone latched onto fellow substitute George Dobson’s lovely through ball before coolly slotting past Iversen.

Setting up a nervy end to the encounter, Preston pulled a goal back when Tottenham Hotspur loanee Devine got his reward for an impressive outing by finding the back of net just six minutes later. But the Red Dragons were able to hold onto all three points, moving up to 11th in the Championship table thanks to their victory. 

Meanwhile, Paul Heckingbottom's Preston dropped out of the playoffs and down to seventh following Millwall and Watford's respective victories over Bristol City and Norwich City on the same night.

Finding the back of the net for the first time in seven games, Broadhead took his goal really well.

Wrexham’s club-record signing wrong-footed Preston defender Lindsay by threatening to charge towards the near post, before peeling away to meet Moore’s delightful cross with a lovely header.

A constant threat throughout, Broadhead continued to drive Wrexham forward in the absence of Moore.

With 10 league goals to his name, Moore has been remarkable since joining Wrexham from Sheffield United in the summer.

And so the sight of the Wales international limping off will no doubt cause huge concern among the Red Dragons faithful.

It is not clear whether Moore was substituted with a definite hamstring injury or as a precaution, but Wrexham fans will certainly be praying it is the latter.