PLAYER-BOSS Paul Simpson scored a hat-trick as Rochdale pulled off a superb victory against Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground.

Wrexham, coming into the game on the back off an unbeaten record, swept into the lead courtesy of a Stephen Thomas strike on 13 minutes.

But three quick goals saw the game reverse dramatically in Rochdale's favour.

A goalmouth scramble allowed Lee McEvilly to level matters just two minutes later, before Simpson put his wand of a left foot to good use, stroking home a free kick on 22 minutes.

And a minute later, Dale extended their advantage when Gareth Griffiths rifled a left footed drive into the roof of the net from a Paul Simpson corner.

Wrexham fought their way back into the game on 37 minutes when Andrew Morrell latched onto to Pejic's passs to slot the ball home. But their hopes of gaining parity proved all too brief as they were left reeling just two minutes later when Carlos Edwards was adjudged to have brought down Lee McEvilly.

Simpson slammed home the resulting penalty-kick, and it was another spot-kick on 50 minutes that delivered him his hat-trick, after McEvilly was again chopped down in the box, this time by Dennis Lawrence.

Tweet