Match Stats

0-1

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Substitutes

Yellow and Red Cards

Other Info

BRIGHT START FADES INTO DESPAIR

By Mark Williams

Wrexham saved their worst home performance of the season for such a crucial game in the battle to beat the drop to Division Three. With the first realistic opportunity of moving out of the relegation zone for the first time in ages, plus the added bonus of drawing Chesterfield into the relegation battle, the players were unrecognisable from the starting eleven against Tranmere in midweek.

In contrast to the game in general the afternoon started brightly for Wrexham with Craig Faulconbridge having the first opportunity of the match but his header from a Hector Sam cross went wide of the far post. Despite the sustained pressure from Wrexham in the first ten minutes Chesterfield's defence held firm with the only other chance created was from a clever pass by Darren Ferguson but Craig Faulconbridge let the ball run out for a goal kick. Hector Sam then created an opportunity for himself from nothing in the seventh minute but after he cut in from the right wing his left foot shot went high and wide.

With both teams playing 4-3-3 they largely cancelled each other out but as the game progressed Chesterfield's midfield started to gain an advantage over the Red Dragons. In this spell Chesterfield created a couple of chances when Mark Allott fired a free kick over the bar and Glyn Hurst didn't get much closer when he latched onto a poor header from Shaun Pejic. Wrexham were then forced into a change when Shaun Holmes limped off in the 30th minute and was replaced by Kevin Sharp at left back.

Wrexham almost broke the deadlock but Craig Faulconbridge's header from Steve Thomas' free kick hit the cross bar and Dennis Lawrence somehow managed to fire the rebound wide from only six yards out. This was the first real chance of the afternoon and the miss was to be costly against a well-organised Chesterfield defence.

Chesterfield took a deserved lead on the stroke of half time after Wrexham failed to clear the ball properly. The ball was lobbed forward by Ian Breckin and with the Wrexham defence appealing for offside against the two Chesterfield players in the centre of the pitch, the linesman ruled that they were 'inactive' and Glyn Hurst ran onto the lose ball down the right. As Marius Røvde ran off his line he was caught in no mans land and Hurst produced and exquisite finish with a lob from 25 yards into the empty Wrexham net. Soon after Stuart Howson was booked for kicking the ball away after a free kick was awarded to Wrexham. The referee moved the ball forward ten yards but Darren Ferguson wasted the set piece and not for the first time in the afternoon. The half ended with Chesterfield deservedly leading 1-0.

Wrexham started the second half mush like the first and created a couple of opportunities in the early stages with Steve Thomas having a long shot deflected wide. Lee Trundle was introduced into the action after 58 minutes at the expense of Michael Blackwood and his first action was foul on Stephen Payne! Wrexham forced a couple of corners and Darren Ferguson finally missed the first defender but Craig Faulconbridge was unlucky to see his header come back off the bar for the second time in the afternoon with Nathan Abbey well beaten.

As the game headed into the final half hour Wrexham were finding it difficult to break down the well-organised Chesterfield defence and the visitor's tactic of hitting Wrexham on the counter attack was proving to be very successful. They should have put the game beyond Wrexham after a suicidal back pass from Steve Thomas put Glyn Hurst clean through on goal but Marius Røvde made himself big and pulled off a good save with his feet after Hurst attempted to side foot it past him. Wrexham then lost the ball on the half way line and Stuart Howson sent through a ball for Mark Innes but Marius Røvde was alert and charged off his line to clear the ball into the Sainsburys Stand but, in the process, Røvde pulled his hamstring and after being unable to take any kicks he was replaced in the 73rd minute by David Walsh. This was Wrexham's third substitution of the game and this really hampered Denis Smith's opportunities to change the tactics with Carlos Edwards ready to come on.

A challenge on Steve Thomas in the final ten minutes left the Wrexham midfielder on the ground but with Wrexham in possession, and moving forward, the referee waved played on but as the attack broke down Chesterfield broke quickly with Mark Allott down the left. He cut inside Whitely and his right foot shot looked to be curling into the far post but David Walsh managed to get a finger tip to the ball and deflect it wide for a corner.

As Steve Thomas was receiving treatment a heated debate between Waynne Phillips and a section of the Kop with the Wrexham midfielder making clear wanker gestures back at the supporters. David Walsh tried pull Waynne Phillips away from the post and the crowd but Phillips stood still and continued his rant. For the first time since Denis Smith took over the players took a lot of abuse from the supporters during the match but this sort of response from professionals only incites the supporters even more with chants of 'Your not fit to wear the shirt' soon echoing from the Kop.

Lee Trundle then broke down the right but he over hot is cross but Steve Thomas did well to retrieve it but Nathan Abbey somehow managed to keep out his shot at the near post. Wrexham failed to create any more chances and after the final whistle was blown the players ran straight off down the tunnel and that summed it up really as the players knew their performance was totally unacceptable.

As a supporter the most frustrating part is that the team were completely unrecognisable from the previous games. There was no effort, commitment or passion shown and this ultimately led to frustration on the terraces. Going into the game I was expecting a win based on the past performances and I am not sure if this complacency crept into the players. The only certain thing is that the only way we are going to get out of this mess if we pull together as one.

Results

Bournemouth

0-2

Peterborough United

Gill 7'

McKenzie 47'

Joseph Sent Off 44'

5,163

Bristol City

0-2

Brentford

Rowlands 54'

Owusu 56'

11,421

Cambridge United

Kitson 14'

Youngs 32'

Youngs Missed Penalty

2-2

Reading

Viveash 57'

Fleming 74' (og)

3,841

Huddersfield Town

0-0

Wigan Athletic

12,844

Northampton Town

Gabbiadini 35'

1-2

Cardiff City

Maxwell 32'

Campbell 37'

5,495

Notts County

Allsopp 14' 32' 39'

3-0

Tranmere Rovers

Hill Sent Off 15'

4,562

Oldham Athletic

Smart 24'

Murray 44'

Eyres 77'

Corrazzin 90'

4-1

Colchester United

Izzett 12'

5,457

Queens Park Rangers

Gallen 43'

Langley 60'

2-0

Blackpool

10,203

Stoke City

Iwelumo 29'
Gunnlaugsson 58' (p)
Clarke 86'

3-1

Brighton & Hove Albion

Steele 54'

Pethick Missed Penalty 54'

16,092

Friday

Swindon Town

Gurney 43'

Heywood 45'

Willis 83'

3-0

Port Vale

6,067

Wrexham

0-1

Chesterfield

Hurst 44'

3,328

Wycombe Wanderers

0-2

Bury

Seddon 54'

Nelson 63'

6,409

League Table