Will Lankshear’s volley saw Middlesbrough beat Wrexham 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium to reach the second round of the 2026-27 Carabao Cup.
Lankshear on his competitive debut for the hosts settled a competitive contest with a 61st-minute right-footed volley on the half-turn from Sebastian Berhalter’s knockdown header.
Speaking to Sky Sports post-match, Lankshear spoke highly of the performance and ambitions for this season.
“It was a really good night. I thought the boys played really, really well.
“Everyone is really, really ambitious, everyone is really looking forward to this year and it’s going to be an exciting one.
“You get the feeling of something really positive here so it’s great to be involved in that.”
Middlesbrough are now through to the second round which will take place across 25-27 August, with the draw scheduled for Monday 10 August at 19:20pm BST, live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.
Having reset after their dramatic play-off campaign at the end of last season, Middlesbrough almost enjoyed a bright start as new signing, Lankshear saw his sixth-minute shot from Max Arfsten’s cross blocked, before Adilson Malanda’s follow-up shot was too blocked.
Lankshear then saw another shot saved by Danny Ward nine minutes later as Boro continued to enjoy the best of the early chances, during which he teed up Jeremy Sarmiento who fired wide amidst a 19th-minute tug from Dominic Hyam which referee – Will Finnie didn’t spot.
Wrexham’s best chance of the opening half hour came from new signing, Danny Imray as he fumbled a close-range volley wide of the near-right corner from Callum Doyle’s 16th-minute cross.
Phil Parkinson’s Red Dragons eventually swung the momentum their way in the last ten minutes of the first half as Sam Smith’s 38th-minute shot was blocked by Sol Brynn, before George Thomasson rifled over on the follow-up.
Ollie Rathbone then fired over a minute later for the visitors, whilst Lankshear headed a 41st-minute cross over for Boro from Callum Brittain’s cross to the left post, but neither team broke the deadlock before half time.
Boro however regained the upper hand just two minutes into the second half as Lankshear curled over the bar and was followed suit by Morgan Whittaker as the winger curled a shot wide of the left corner in the 54th minute.
Summer signing, Berhalter then fired wide from close range on the hour mark as the hosts continued to dominate the chances.
Wrexham failed to heed those wasteful opportunities from Boro a minute later as Sarmiento’s cross was nodded down by Berhalter, which Lankshear met with a volley on a half-turn into the far left corner to break the deadlock with his first competitive goal in a Boro shirt.
Nathan Broadhead then fired a free-kick over the bar in the 65th minute after Luke Ayling had clipped Lewis O’Brien a minute earlier.
Lankshear missed a chance to cap his Middlesbrough debut off in the 70th minute as he was slipped through by substitute debutant, Kyle Joseph, only to blast his shot over the bar.
Boro subsequently soaked up Wrexham’s pressure but wasted another chance to seal the win as Joseph teed up Whittaker in the 87th minute, only for the latter’s low shot to be blocked by Ward.
Middlesbrough eventually clung on through three minutes of injury time to book their place in the second round, whilst Wrexham suffered their 28th first-round exit in their 52nd participation in this competition.
Teams
Middlesbrough: Sol Brynn, Callum Brittain, Luke Ayling, Neto Borges, Max Arfsten (Edmundson 67′), Adilson Malanda, Morgan Whittaker (Ibeh 93′), Sebastian Berhalter, Leo Castledine, Jeremy Sarmiento (Joseph 67′), Will Lankshear (Cartwright 80′)
Substitutes: Finlay Cartwright, Jack Daley, Josh Dede, Seny Dieng, George Edmundson, Cruz Ibeh, Kyle Joseph, Law McCabe, Jon McLaughlin
Wrexham: Danny Ward, Zak Vyner, Dominic Hyam, Callum Doyle, Danny Imray (Longman 65′), Ollie Rathbone (Cadamarteri 72′), Matty James (Whiteman 72′), Lewis O’Brien, George Thomasson, Sam Smith (Moore 72′), Nathan Broadhead (Keillor-Dunn 77′)
Substitutes: Bailey Cadamarteri, Max Cleworth, George Dobson, Davis Keillor-Dunn, Ryan Longman, Kieffer Moore, Arthur Okonkwo, Dan Scarr, Ben Whiteman
Referee – Will Finnie
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