Beck's brace fires Town to Trophy success at Wrexham

The striker opened his account for the club with a pair of headers, the first of which arrived shortly before half-time while the second hit the back of the net with 69 minutes on the clock.

Town boss Simon Weaver made four changes from the starting XI that faced Kidderminster 11 days ago and handed a first start of the season to Lloyd Kerry following a nine-month injury lay-off.

The visitors made a bright start and were the first to go close to opening the scoring when Beck couldn’t quite finish off Joe Leesley’s inviting cross.

The former Wrexham man did make good contact moments later however, his sweetly-struck left-footed effort skimming off the wet surface and just past the far post.

The hosts’ first opportunity arrived just after the half-hour mark as Scott Boden flicked a header towards goal, but Town custodian James Belshaw was equal to the effort.

Ten minutes later, Beck found the net for the first time in Harrogate colours when he guided George Thomson’s floated cross into the back of the net with a well-placed header to give his side a narrow lead at the break.

Terry Kennedy almost doubled Town’s lead four minutes after the re-start when his headed effort bounced up off the ground and towards goal, but gloveman Christian Dibble was able to turn the attempt round the post.

Wrexham made a double change in an effort to get back into the game, though a well-timed block from Warren Burrell to deny George Miller a shot at goal kept the score at 1-0 just past the hour-mark.

Beck then claimed his second goal of the afternoon in the 69th minute as he peeled off his marker at the back post to head home Ryan Fallowfield’s excellent deep cross from the right.

With a two-goal lead Town looked comfortable, though almost saw their clean-sheet disappear in the 84th minute when substitute Cameron McGregor rattled the inside of the post with a snapshot from just inside the box.

That was as close as Wrexham came to finding the net, however, as Town held on to claim an impressive result against the National League high-flyers.