Wrexham slips to third place after draw with Bristol amid promotion push

WREXHAM, Wales (AP) — Wrexham’s bid for a third straight promotion took a hit when the popular Welsh team drew with Bristol 1-1 and slipped one spot into third place Friday.

Wrexham is battling for the second automatic promotion berth alongside Birmingham, which has already clinched the League One title and elevation into the second-tier Championship next season.

Wycombe leapfrogged Wrexham by beating Bolton 2-0 on Friday for its third straight victory and a one-point advantage over Wrexham in the standings with three games left.

The top two teams earn automatic promotion and the next four enter a playoff for one final promotion spot.

Playing in front of celebrity co-owner Rob McElhenney, Wrexham needed a 76th-minute equalizer from Matty James to offset Taylor Moore’s first-half opener at the Racecourse Ground.

Wrexham has settled for draws in three of its past four games, and won the other one.

Just two years ago, the team was playing in the fifth-tier National League but has surged through England’s soccer pyramid thanks to the injection of cash from McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

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