THERE was no FA Cup upset or meeting with Newcastle United to look forward to after Wrexham suffered a 4-1 fourth round defeat at Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers.

Both teams had a huge incentive going into the first competitive game between the clubs since the 1981-82 season with the winners drawn at home to Premier League giants Newcastle in the fifth round.

Nearly 7,400 fans made the trip to Ewood Park hoping for more cup heroics after Phil Parkinson's men beat Coventry City - another tier two side - in the competition last season before running Premier League-bound Sheffield United close.

There was potential for a surprise as Andy Cannon gave Wrexham the lead after 18 minutes but Blackburn's class told in the end as they turned things around to run out convincing winners in the end.

The cup run is over for another season but a second successive promotion is the priority and Wrexham, currently second in League Two, are in a brilliant position to continue climbing the divisions.

Supporters don't have a glamour tie against Newcastle to look forward but in three months time the Reds could be in League One, and that will more than make-up for losing to a Blackburn side whose quality was just too much on the night.

Parkinson made two changes from the side that started the 1-0 league defeat to Newport County at Rodney Parade nine days earlier.

Will Boyle was starting a three-match suspension after he was shown a straight red card in the Welsh derby so Eoghan O'Connell came into the Reds' defence.

The other change was in midfield where Cannon, not risked against the Exiles after taking a blow to the head in the success over AFC Wimbledon in the previous match, took over from James Jones.

Although Parkinson was without a few injured players, he was able to name fit-again trio Aaron Hayden, Jordan Tunnicliffe and Jordan Davies on the substitutes bench after spells on the sidelines.

Blackburn made the early running with Sammie Szmodics firing wide following a well-worked move and the attacking midfielder quickly got in again, lifting his shot over the advancing Arthur Okonkwo but Ben Tozer was on hand to clear the danger.

With Wrexham being kept on the back-foot, Jake Garrett's low drive was gathered by Okonkwo and Szmodics found the back of the net but the linesman's flag was already up for offside.

The Reds began to come more into the game and Paul Mullin's free-kick was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Aynsley Pears, while Parkinson's men took the lead in the 18th minute.

Garrett gave the ball away and Sam Dalby fed Cannon who took a touch before brilliantly firing past Pears from just inside the area, and the away end behind the other goal erupted!

It was almost 2-0 when Cannon's effort from outside the area was fumbled by Pears but the goalkeeper recovered to make a brilliant save and tip James McClean's follow-up over the bar.

However, Blackburn equalised in the 32nd minute.

Sam Gallagher pulled the ball back for Szmodics who found the net with aid of a deflection.

It got even better for Rovers who went 2-1 up two minutes later.

Sam Gallagher got the better of Tozer and then beat Okonkwo, who rushed out of his area, to the ball to slot it into the net.

Wrexham were aiming to get to half-time without conceding another goal but Blackburn scored a third in added time.

Szmodics raced onto a ball over the top and fired past Okonkwo.

The next goal was crucial and following an even start to the second half, Blackburn scored it in the 59th minute.

George Evans made a good block tackle in the area but the ball broke to Sondre Tronstad who smashed the ball past Okonkwo.

That left Wrexham with a mountain to climb and Elliot Lee tried his luck from the halfway line with Pears out of his goal but his effort fell wide while substitute Jones' shot was saved by Pears.

The Reds bowed out but they were far from disgraced after reaching the fourth round for a second year in a row.

Blackburn Rovers (3-4-3): Pears; Rankin-Costello (Atcheson 83), Hyam, Wharton; Dolan (Chrisene 65), Tronstad, Garrett (Ayari 65), Sigurdsson (Markanday 89); Moran, Szmodics, Gallagher (Telalovic 65). Subs not used: Wahlstedt, Ennis, Gamble, Wharton.

Wrexham (5-3-2): Okonkwo; Barnett (Mendy 69), Cleworth, Tozer, O'Connell (Tunnicliffe 69), McClean; Cannon (Jones 69), Evans, Lee; Mullin (Palmer 78), Dalby (Bickerstaff 78). Subs not used: McNicholas, Hayden, McFadzean, Davies.

Attendance: 18,169 (7,338 from Wrexham).