Score and Scorers

Starting Line Ups

Substitutes

Yellow and Red Cards

None

61'

75'

Stat Attack

Other Information

WREXHAM MASTER THE CONDITIONS AND SWINDON

By Mark Williams

Pre-match thoughts: After two successive defeats away from home a win was a must especially against a team above us in the table.

Conditions: Blustery wind making it difficult for both teams with driving rain in the last ten minutes.

Tactics: No surprise as it was the same team from QPR.

Sum up the performance in one sentence: Creative up front and solid at the back.

Turning point: Almost an instant reply from Carlos Edwards after Swindon’s equaliser.

Main incidents and goals:

0-15 minutes: Wrexham got off to a good start with the wind in their favour. A good flick by Chris Armstrong took him past Andrew Gurney but Andrew Nicholas got back to block the striker’s shot away for a corner. Swindon’s first attack came down the left wing when Mooney’s corner was deflected away for a corner. Mooney went close again with a speculative lob that almost caught Mike Ingham off his line but the keeper tracked back to claw the ball away for a corner. Score 0-0.

15-30 minutes: Intuitive play from Chris Llewellyn created an opening for Chris Armstrong when the Welsh man dummied a low cross from Carlos Edwards but Armstrong could not keep his shot down and ended up hitting the roof of the Kop! With twenty minutes gone Chris Llewellyn was allowed to go on a surging run from the halfway line that took him past five players into the area. Instead of taking the shot on his weaker right foot he cut back in and his eventual left footed shot was blocked by the Swindon defence. Five minutes later there was no hesitation from the striker when he was played in by Darren ferguson with a perfect ball behind Andrew Gurney and with his right foot found the bottom corner from twelve yards out. Score 1-0 Wrexham.

30-45 minutes: Matt Heywood came to the rescue of Swindon when he intercepted Chris Armstrong when the striker was about to put away a flick on by Dennis Lawrence from Ferguson’s clever free kick. Swindon were really struggling to clear the ball in the wind and in one incident Gurney tried to get power behind the clearance but the wind took control of the ball and it swirled back towards goal but Evans kept his eye on the ball to catch it at the first attempt. At the other end Swindon could only muster chances from crosses that Wrexham dealt with and ended the half on top. Half time 1-0 Wrexham.
 

the third was the most important goal as i knew we needed a two goal gap to be 'safe'

wrecsam am byth 88 on the RP Messageboard

click here to have your say

45-60 minutes: With the wind now against Wrexham it was going to be interesting to see how the defence dealt with balls into the box. If the first cross was anything to go by then the Wrexham fans were in for a nervous second half as Swindon equalised. Wrexham had at least three opportunities to clear the danger with Jim Whitley, Paul Edwards and Steve Roberts all guilty of not clearing the danger. The ball eventually broke to Sammy Igoe on the left side of the area and he made no mistake with his right footed shot that went in via the near post. The most important thing now was for Wrexham to strike back quickly and Swindon did not heed the warning from Darren Ferguson’s free kick when Carey headed narrowly over as within minutes Wrexham were back in the lead. Paul Edwards picked up the ball on the half way line and curled the ball around the defender for the ever willing Llewellyn. The striker looked up and delivered a perfect low ball across the penalty area that cut out the defenders for Carlos Edwards to slam home at the far post. Score 2-1 Wrexham.

60-75 minutes: Andrew Gurney went into the book on the hour mark after a late challenge on Darren Ferguson. Wrexham were punished though when Ferguson was not allowed back on the pitch to take the resulting free kick. Work that one out? Jim Whitley limped off a couple of minutes later and was replaced by Matt Crowell in midfield. Swindon were next on the attack and went close through Sam Parkin but the striker drifted a shot from the edge of the area narrowly wide although Ingham had it covered. Midway through the half Wrexham extended their lead after Llewellyn won a flick on to the edge of the area. Chris Armstrong was being fouled but he managed to lay off the ball to Steve Thomas who struck a first time left footed shot past Rhys Evans into the far corner. Substitute Matt Crowell almost extended the lead when Llewellyn laid the ball off to him and his right footed drive was parried by Evans and he managed to get to the lose ball before Chris Armstrong who was lurking dangerously. Score 3-1 Wrexham.

75-90 minutes: Sammy Igoe was the second Swindon player in the book for a late cynical challenge on Carlos Edwards, which required the Trinidadian to receive treatment. Wrexham were in for a nervous last ten minutes when Swindon pulled a goal back to reduce the deficit to one. Sammy Igoe swung in a right footed cross in front of the Wrexham goal and Ingham just flapped at the ball and this allowed Andrew Gurney to head in from about only a couple of yards out. Swindon repeated this corner moments later and with Ingham static on his line the ball travelled past him to the back port where Mooney returned it back across goal but Ingham pluck out of the air on this occasion. With added time extended to an injury to the linesman Darren Ferguson gave the ball away in a dangerous position and Swindon worked the ball to the right side of the area. Matt Hewlett dived in the box when it would have been easier to get a shot on goal and in the next attack the Wrexham defence were resulting to desperate challenges as Dennis Lawrence got in a last ditched block on Parkin’s effort. Final Score 3-2 Wrexham.

Opposition and fans: Have to admit that I was not impressed with Swindon but it was hard to tell how much the conditions played a part today but it was the same for both teams. The fans only chant was to spell out “’S-W-I-N-D-O-N” although they did get it correct!

Officials: Had a good game but there was noting much controversial during the match.

Man of the match: Sponsors chose Brian Carey but it was Chris Llewellyn for me as he was the figure head of Wrexham’s attacks. A goal and a assist is not too bad either.

If you were Denis Smith: Please to get the last two defeats out of the system with a solid display.

Post match thoughts: A win much for confidence although the display was good as well. Particularly impressed with the way that Llewellyn licked up win midfield and this caused problems for Swindon all afternoon.

Jump To: Match Stats, Match Report, Detailed Match Reports, Other Match Reports, Audio Reports and Quotes, Press Conference Quotes, Division 2 Results, League Table.

BBCi: Wrexham 3 Swindon Town 2 - Minute-by-minute

Red Passion Soccer Saturday Audio Report with Mark Williams

Denis Smith: "The people who stayed away have missed an absolutely fantastic game of football and as good a game as you are going to see, plus three great goals. The lads adjusted to the conditions and played some very good football. It did make it interesting but I’m delighted by our performance. We kept the ball on the deck as much as we could in the second half and I think it worked. The attitude of my lads was excellent and I was very pleased by the way they went about things. It’s at that stage of the season where all the games become cup matches and it’s starting to become interesting. Some people have obviously written us off already, if you look at the gate, but we certainly have not. thought that about ourselves. It was good to see Chris Llewellyn on the scoresheet and it was a great ball in from him for Carlo’s goal. Plus Ozzie has weighed in with a goal and Matt Crowell showed when he came on that he can shoot It would be difficult for people to find fault today! I take the blame for the first goal, as it was a tactical mistake. I changed things on corners at the break, which cost us and possibly the big man in goal will not be happy with the second one, but it was not particularly easy being a goalkeeper in those conditions.” [Source: Wrexham AFC]

Results

Barnsley

0-0

Port Vale

8,267

Bournemouth

v

Blackpool

OFF

NOW WED

Brentford

Tabb 26'

Hunt 27'

Talbot 36'

3-2

Rushden & Diamonds

Burgess 76'

Lowe 88'

4,616

Brighton & Hove Albion

Iwelumo 30'

Knight 87'

2-1

Colchester United

Izzett 69'

Brown Sent Off 90'

6,156

Bristol City

0-2

Oldham Athletic

Cooksey 26'

Murray 36'

11,037

Grimsby Town

0-2

Hartlepool United

Boyd 29' 87'

4,303

Luton Town

Coyne 42'

Nicholls Sent Off 46'

1-1

Plymouth Argyle

Adams 90'

8,499

Notts County

Fenton 51'

1-1

Chesterfield

Richardson 77' (og)

Hurst Sent Off 53'

7,808

Peterborough United

0-0

Tranmere Rovers

4,185

Stockport County

Lambert 25'

1-0

Sheffield Wednesday

8,011

Wrexham

Llewellyn 25'

C Edwards 54'

Thomas 68'

3-2

Swindon Town

Igoe 49'

Gurney 77'

3,384

Wycombe Wanderers

Bloomfield 27'

Faulconbridge 30'

2-2

Queens Park Rangers

Gallen 46'

Rowlands 48'

7,634

League Table