Wrexham beaten by Grimsby in nine-goal blockbuster thriller Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney denied end of season in Hollywood in National League play-offs

The Hollywood scriptwriters were clearly on hand for the National League play-off clash between Wrexham and Grimsby.

Unfortunately for the Welsh club’s A-list co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, it was not to be a happy ending as the Robins saw their promotion hopes ended after a nine-goal thriller at the Racehorse Ground.

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It was Wrexham who took the lead after just 13 minutes through Paul Mullin, before John McAtee equalized the game two minutes later for the Mariners.

After your typical opening 45 minutes, Luke Waterfall put Grimsby ahead early in the second half.

But for Wrexham’s 9,734 fans and everyone else watching at home, no spoiler could have predicted what would happen next.

A brace from Ben Tozer and Mullin midway through the second half put Wrexham ahead at 3-2… before the score tipped again as Ryan Taylor and Mani Dieseruvwe fired home to make it 4- 3 at Grimsby with 12 minutes left.

Cheered on by their home fans, Wrexham weren’t done yet as Jordan Davies headed home from a corner to draw the level of the semi-final clash and carry it into extra time.

With no sequel to this blockbuster, fans knew a winner would be needed that day, and what followed was a nervy overtime that clearly could have gone either way.

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However, in the most dramatic way, it was visitors Grimsby who progressed to the National League play-off final with a 119th-minute Waterfall winner.

As a result, the Mariners will face either Solihull Moors or Chesterfield in the final at West Ham’s London Stadium on Sunday June 5.

The winner of this contest will gain promotion back to the EFL, to League Two.

For Wrexham and their famous new owners, the focus will now be on next season as they seek to move the club up the football pyramid.

Reynolds and McElleney are very used to happy endings, but like any big-screen movie, you have to experience the fall to get back up – something they’ll be determined to achieve at Wrexham.

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