Preview: Racecourse Ground set for a volatile midweek clash
Wrexham welcome Portsmouth to the Racecourse Ground on 24/02/2026 in a match that promises energy, goals and league-table consequences. The home side sit comfortably in 6th with 51 points from 33 games, showing they are very much in the hunt in the Championship's regular season. Portsmouth, by contrast, arrive in a relegation dogfight in 19th place with 39 points from 32 matches. On paper this looks like a chance for Wrexham to consolidate their position but the recent form lines and attacking records suggest this will not be a routine evening.
Wrexham have been prolific in patches — 51 goals across the campaign with notable recent fireworks in a 5-3 victory over Ipswich that underscores both their offensive potency and defensive vulnerability. Their home numbers show 31 goals scored at Racecourse Ground and 27 conceded, and a BTTS rate at home north of 59%. Portsmouth, while struggling in the table, are capable on the break: 33 goals this season and two impressive 3-1 wins in their last ten, including a 3-1 triumph at Millwall just last weekend. The visitors’ away defence has conceded 25 goals, pointing to opportunities for a lively scoreline.
Tactical outlook and form narrative
Wrexham come into the match with an energetic run — their latest form shows six wins, two draws and two losses in the most recent ten matches, with performances that swing between high-scoring thrillers and tighter affairs. Portsmouth’s form is mixed but contains streaks of attacking success; four wins, two draws and four losses in their last ten suggest volatility rather than consistency. The last head-to-head ended 0-0 back in November, but both clubs have evolved since then: recent encounters have shown more teeth in attack than that stalemate hinted.
Statistically the contest leans towards an open game. Wrexham’s average shots and dangerous attacks are strong at home, while Portsmouth’s overall shots average is slightly higher and their corner average suggests they can manufacture pressure. Both teams have a reasonable number of clean sheets, but their recent results — 5-3 for Wrexham and 3-1 for Portsmouth — make the prospect of goals likely.
This is a match where careful reading of goal markets is crucial; timing matters if you’re looking at totals or both-teams-to-score options — consider brushing up on strategies around goal markets before placing wagers by checking resources like The right time to place bets on goal markets. For bettors managing stakes and discipline, remembering emotional control can make the difference on such open fixtures; see guidance on How to have emotional control when placing bets?.
Betting suggestion (goal market)
Given the data — Wrexham’s high-scoring home matches, Portsmouth’s tendency to both score and concede on the road, recent 5-3 and 3-1 scorelines and BTTS percentages (Wrexham home BTTS ~59%, Portsmouth away BTTS ~50%) — the clearest value sits with the goal market. Back Both Teams To Score (BTTS: Yes). Expect an open, end-to-end encounter where both sides are likely to find the net; it blends probabilities from form, season-long BTTS rates and recent high-scoring matches.
