Hull City gave their Championship top six hopes a significant boost as they defeated play-off rivals Wrexham at Stok Cae Ras.

Joe Gelhardt's stunning free-kick - his 13th league goal of the season - put the visitors ahead in north Wales.

Gelhardt was well denied by Arthur Okonkwo from the penalty spot just four minutes later.

But the Tigers made it 2-0 on 63 minutes as Lewis Koumas headed beyond Okonkwo for his third goal since joining Hull on loan from Liverpool in January.

Nathan Broadhead set up a tense finish with his seventh goal of the campaign, although the hosts were unable to find a late leveller as the visitors clinched a crucial victory.

Sergej Jakirović's side stay fifth, but open up a nine-point gap to seventh-placed Derby County.

Wrexham remain sixth - three points ahead of Derby - as their four-game unbeaten league run came to an end.

Following Saturday's FA Cup fifth round thriller with Chelsea, Phil Parkinson had urged his side to "reel in" Hull as his side resumed their quest to earn a fourth successive promotion.

However, following a low-key start, Wrexham's sloppiness in testing conditions allowed Jakirovic's side to play on the front foot.

Cody Drameh's deflected shot looped on to the roof of the net before Josh Windass was well denied by Ivan Pandur with the home side's first opening at the other end.

But shortly after Zak Vyner's deflected shot looped over the crossbar, the game exploded into life.

Callum Doyle was penalised for a foul on Charlie Hughes just outside the Wrexham penalty area, and Gelhardt spectacularly curled into the top corner five minutes before half time.

The striker was presented with an even better opportunity to double the Tigers' lead just four minutes later after being brought down by Doyle in the box.

However, the Leeds United loanee was superbly denied by Okonkwo from the penalty spot as Wrexham kept themselves in the contest ahead of the second half.

The Red Dragons - who sent on Ollie Rathbone in place of Vyner - lifted the tempo after the restart, but struggled to trouble Pandur.

They had Okonkwo to thank once again for keeping the score at just 1-0 after he kept out Liam Millar's shot after the Canadian had been picked out by Koumas.

After the roles were reversed from the resulting corner, Hull did manage to double their lead though as Millar's curling cross was nodded into the net by Wales international Koumas.

Having been blunt in attack for the vast majority of the game, Wrexham - whose co-chairman Ryan Reynolds was watching from the Tech End in the second half - threw everything at Hull late on.

Substitute Issa Kabore's cross was turned into the net by Broadhead in the 76th minute to give the home faithful hope.

They carved out a fine opportunity to equalise late on as debutant Bailey Cadamarteri crossed to fellow substitute Jay Rodriguez, although the striker could only head wide as Wrexham's three-game winning streak in the Championship ended.

Wrexham were remarkably blunt in attack until the introduction of Kabore and Davis Keillor-Dunn in the 70th minute.

Kabore ran riot on Hull's left flank, earning himself an assist to get Wrexham back into the game.

But Hull defended for their lives in the driving north Wales rain late on to earn some much-needed breathing space between themselves and those chasing the top six.

Ultimately it was a case of too little, too late for those in red, although the Tigers had created enough clear openings, in addition to missing a penalty, to have been out of sight before Wrexham's late barrage.

The quality of Gelhardt and Koumas shone through in attack, but Hull's 3-4-3 shape provided goalkeeper Pandur with so much cover for the majority of the match.

Ultimately, they had done more than enough earlier on, and their promotion hopes remain well and truly in their own hands while Wrexham's task just got ever slightly nervier.

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson:

"First off we made too many mistakes in our own back third with the ball and we gave a good team possession in dangerous areas. We made a lot of uncharacteristic mistakes with the ball.

"And then in the second half we were loads better. We conceded but we had good control.

"We got the goal back and on another day we go and get the second. But listen, it wasn't our night, we weren't at our best in that first half and we've just got to move on to Friday."

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirović:

"It's a very important three points and a very big victory against Wrexham who are a very good team.

"They have already shown all season they are playing good football, especially at home. They are very dangerous.

"Credit to the lads because I think they played a very good game."