Wrexham 2-4 Chelsea: VAR brings cruel dose of reality to Championship side

There is an irony that the club that welcomed the cameras to Wrexham was denied by them.

As film star owners watched on, it was a video screen that brought a cruel dose of reality to a fantastic FA Cup tie and ensured Chelsea avoided a humbling fifth-round exit.

The Cae Ras has a storied history in its 162 years, but this was the first time the video assistant referee (VAR) has been in operation in the oldest international ground in world football.

Its first scene was to turn George Dobson's card from a yellow into a red, leaving the Championship hosts with 10 men and Chelsea off the hook going into extra time.

Its second was to rule out a Wrexham equaliser that would have taken the game to penalties, Lewis Brunt inches offside as he connected with Kieffer Moore's header on the line.

"We had the highs and lows in such a short space of time and fell the wrong side of it [VAR]," said striker Sam Smith, whose opener was the early warning that Chelsea were in for a night of it in north Wales.

"It was our first experience of it and hopefully it's our last until next season."

It will be a situation Wrexham will have to get used to should they turn play-off promise into a fourth straight promotion and book regular visits from Premier League opponents.

For now, though, manager Phil Parkinson could only rue the refusal of the officials to read the script.

"Without VAR we don't get a player sent off and that goal certainly stands so it's against us tonight," said Parkinson, with his ire more aimed at the Dobson decision for a foul on Alejandro Garnacho.

"It's my first taste of it and I know the rule is that is has to be a clear and obvious mistake for the decision to be changed - and I think the referee's got to back his judgement of the real time, instant moment. He was in a great position to see it."

Being denied a level playing field when trying to bridge the Premier League gap was one thing, but being denied the chance for penalties was another.

Pundit Micah Richards told Match of the Day that "you don't want to see goals being ruled out like that, we are talking inches".

Parkinson was more accepting of the decision, refusing to blame Brunt for his instinctive goalline touch and suggesting Moore's header would have hit the post.

He was adamant, too, that his side's bid for a place in the Premier League will not be affected by the disappointment.

"I've said this before, just not to as many people," said Parkinson, referring to the media attendance that trebled with the game being televised in 75 countries around the world with the global fascination of Wrexham very much a reality.

"But I always want my team and their performance to reflect the town, so people know what Wrexham are all about.

"We did that tonight and that's very important."

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