Wrexham v Cardiff: Welsh clash to strike sparks | OneFootball

Tonight's bet is from the League Cup

Wrexham and Cardiff do battle for the first time since 2004 tonight, and Kevin Hatchard expects defences to be dominated...

Wrexham turning the corner after shaky start

It's been a rapid rise for Wrexham under their celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, with the oldest club in Wales rising to the Championship from the National League in short order. However, those climbs get tougher the higher up the mountain you get, and the second tier has proven to be tough so far. Wrexham are currently 16th in the division, as close to the dropzone as they are to the playoff places.

Phil Parkinson's side have managed just three wins in 12 in the league, although after claiming just a point from the first three outings in the league they have steadied the ship, losing just one of the last seven. They have an opportunity to qualify for the quarter-finals of this competition for the first time since the 1977-78 season, and to do that they must win their first all-Welsh meeting with Cardiff since 2004.

Callum Doyle is back from suspension, but a host of players remain on the treatment table, with Andy Cannon, Elliot Lee, Jay Rodriguez, Oliver Rathbone, Ben Sheaf and Danny Ward all sidelined.

Cardiff looking to bounce back

While Wrexham's Hollywood owners have breezed into the Racecourse Ground to engender enthusiasm and worldwide intrigue, Cardiff's oft-controversial owner Vincent Tan doesn't quite get the same positivity. He oversaw demotion to the third tier last term, but at the least the Bluebirds have made a strong start to the League One campaign.

The South Wales giants are just two points off top spot in League One, although Brian Barry-Murphy's team have suffered three defeats across their last five competitive matches. Like Wrexham, recent clean sheets have been hard to come by, with just one shut-out in the last eight games.

Rare all-Welsh showdown should feature goals

Both Teams To Score is trading at 1.8, and I think that's a decent price. Both teams have found the net in 11 of Wrexham's last 15 matches in all competitions.

At the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham have scored in every single competitive game this term, while Cardiff haven't managed a clean sheet for over a month.

Recommended bets

Back Both Teams To Score in Wrexham v Cardiff @ 1.8