WREXHAM produced an awful performance as they slumped to a 2-1 home defeat against fellow strugglers Aldershot Town.

The inconsistent Reds went into the game on the back of a win at Chorley which took Dean Keates' side out of the relegation zone.

But there was only one team in this game as Aldershot were only denied the lead by half-time thanks to heroics from Wrexham goalkeeper Rob Lainton.

However, Aldershot were again the better team after the break and scored twice to secure a deserved win, with Wrexham creating few chances throughout with JJ Hooper's injury time goal merely a consolation.

Keates made one change to the side that started the New Year's Day win at Chorley with Tyler Reid replacing Paul Rutherford in the right wing-back role.

Midfielder Luke Summerfield, missing at Victory Park through illness, was named among the substitutes but there was no place for captain Shaun Pearson who was absent for a second game running due to a back problem.

There was nothing between the sides in the early exchanges with Aldershot finally having the first sight of goal in the 16th minute but Dean Rance dragged his effort well wide.

A quick break by the Shots ended with Craig Tanner's blocked shot comfortably saved by Rob Lainton.

Aldershot came even closer to breaking the deadlock as Harrison Panayiotou threaded a pass through to Mo Bettamer who was denied by Lainton.

Wrexham finally had their first attempt of goal but James Jennings' free-kick lacked power and was comfortably saved by Mitch Walker who was not stretched to keep out a Luke Young effort.

Aldershot were creating the better chances and almost went ahead but Lainton pulled off a brilliant save to keep out Bettamer's header from Robbie Tinkler's teasing cross.

Lainton made a brave save at the feet of Tanner as Aldershot again threatened and the same player fired wide with the visitors' final chance of the first half.

Wrexham had been second best but showed signs of improvement after the restart as Omari Patrick beat his marker and sent in a 52nd minute cross that was headed wide by Bobby Grant.

Max Hunt's drive across goal failed to test Lainton at the other end but Aldershot should have taken the lead in their next attack.

Tanner centred from the by-line to an unmarked Bettamer who somehow fired over from just two yards out with the goal at his mercy.

But Wrexham weren't so lucky as Aldershot took the lead on 64 minutes, Ethan Chislett curling the ball past Lainton from the edge of the area.

And it was 2-0 five minutes later as Bettamer capitalised on poor defending, the striker finding the back of the net with a free header from Jack Powell's corner.

Aldershot soon had the ball in the back of the net for a third time with the Wrexham defence carved open.

Panayiotou accepted Chislett's pass and slotted into an unguarded net but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Wrexham managed to pull a goal back in the fourth minute of injury time as Hooper converted Mark Harris's cross but it was too little too late.

Wrexham (3-4-1-2): Lainton; Kennedy, Lawlor, Carrington; Reid (Summerfield 65), Redmond, Young, Jennings; Grant (Harris 82); Hooper, Patrick. Subs: Dibble, Rutherford, Oswell.

Aldershot (3-4-3): Walker; Tinkler, Hunt, Lyons-Foster; Tanner (Santos 90), Rance, Powell (Rowe 74), Kinsella; Panayiotou (Whittingham 84), Bettamer, Chislett. Subs: Anderson, Shields.

Attendance: 4,222 (163 from Aldershot).