SHELL SHOCKED: Steve Fletcher and Eddie Howe trudge off the Dean Court pitch looking as distraught as the AFC

BELOW-PAR Bournemouth ran into a double-bogey team as their hopes of a place in the Nationwide League Division 2 play-offs were wrecked by Wrexham at Dean Court.

The Welshmen have incredibly won six and drawn two of their last nine visits to Bournemouth. But when it came to playing Cherries' chief rivals Wigan the previous week, Wrexham cold not manage as much as a point as they lost 2-0 on their own patch.

And it was Wigan's 3-1 home win over Chesterfield on Saturday, coupled with Bournemouth's depressing 0-0 home draw against Wrexham that finally spelled the end of the promotion dream for Mel Machin's side.

A Bournemouth win would have kept them in sixth place in the table but right from the moment that Richard Hughes's superb long-range effort flew just over the Wrexham bar after eight minutes, it was clear it was not going to be Cherries' day.

Club captain Ian Cox got in a great header five minutes later from a James Hayter corner but Tommy Wright produced a super save to deny him.

Even when it looked as though Bournemouth would be handed a lifeline in the form of a penalty as Mark Stein was sent crashing by Wright after 50 minutes, referee John Brandwood waved play on.

Even then Steve Robinson could have salvaged the situation a minute into injury time when he was allowed a free header four yards out. But the midfielder nodded the ball well over the bar and Bournemouth, favourites for at least a play-off place for the last couple of months, were left to reflect on a season of under-achievement.

BOURNEMOUTH: Ovendale, Young, Warren (Huck 77), Howe, Hayter (Lovell 64), Bailey (O'Neill 64), Cox, Robinson, Stein, Fletcher, Hughes.

WREXHAM: Wright, McGregor, Brace, Barrett, Rider, Carey, Thomas (Chalk 24), Elliott (Russell 59), Connolly, Spink, Owen.

REFEREE: J Brandwood (Litchfield).

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