Score and Scorers

Starting Line Ups

Total Network Solutions

Substitutes

Total Network Solutions

Yellow and Red Cards

Total Network Solutions

82'

48'

Other Information

SPURNED OPPORTUNITIES ALMOST COST RED DRAGONS

By Mark Williams

Pre-match thoughts: After a good run of results away from home we travelled to Treflan expecting no problems and hoping that the work in the first half would see us through to the semi-final.

Conditions: Dry and very cold but it was not freezing.

Tactics: Denis Smith made the expected outfield changes with Brian Carey, Jim Whitley, Darren Ferguson and Chris Armstrong rested for Craig Morgan, Matt Crowell, Paul Barrett and Hector Sam. Ferguson and Carey were on the bench if required.

Sum up the performance in one sentence: Professional in the first half but clinical finishing was required to kill off TNS.

Turning point: Referee waving TNS’ appeals for an equaliser in the 70th minute when Dibble smothered the ball on the line. Carlos later said he thought it was over!

Main incidents and goals:

0-15 minutes: Very bright opening from Wrexham as they took the game to their hosts. Wrexham’s passing was slick and TNS were just chasing shadows in the opening stages. The first chance for the Red Dragons came from a ball over the top to Chris Llewellyn. He picked up the ball on the right side of the area but his cross to Sam in the middle was cut out. The first shot of the game was from Hector Sam when he turned on a ball from Crowell but he dragged his left footed shot disappointingly wide. Another long ball over the top caught out the TNS defence again and it was weighted perfectly for Carlos Edwards to pick up in his stride. The Trinidadian looked up and picked out Chris Llewellyn with a perfect ball but the striker somehow steered his shot wide of the far post when it was a lot easier to score. TNS’ only chance of the opening stages came when Paul Edwards gave away a free kick on the edge of the area that was whipped in left footed across the face of goal that a Wrexham player flicked on for a corner that came to nothing. Score 0-0.

15-30 minutes: It was bit too easy for Wrexham as their quick passing resulted in TNS chasing shadows and gaps began to appear in their defence. Carlos Edwards delivered a ball across the area that Llewellyn just missed with his head but the ball bounced into the patch of Paul Edwards. He took a touch to compose himself and delivered a ball across the six yard box that Hector Sam tuned in on fifteen minutes with a close range diving header to give Wrexham a deserved lead. Carlos Edwards was tormenting the TNS left side and in one move sent two players the wrong way with a turn before being brought down on the edge of the area by a third. Despite being on the wrong side of the area for a right footer, Steve Thomas tried a shot that was straight at Dean Williams in the TNS goal. Score 1-0 Wrexham.

30-45 minutes: Hector Sam then spurned some decent opportunities as the half drew to a close. They mainly came from balls over the top as the TNS defence were holding a high line of defence that Sam exploited with his pace. Unfortunately for Wrexham Sam could not exploit these opportunities created by his pace by putting them away. The first came when he raced onto a ball and beat the keeper to it on the edge of the area. All he had to do was drill the ball low into an empty net but he checked back onto his right foot and found his root to goal blocked. He tried a couple of more turns but TNS eventually got a tackle in and the chance was lost. Sam was again sent through but again took too long to get his shot away and was tackled inside the area as he was about to pull back the trigger. Chris Llewellyn had a shot from twenty five yards but was inches away from hitting the corner flag rather than the goal post! Half time: 1-0 Wrexham with TNS yet to have a shot at goal.

Have to feel sorry for Thomas with two cracking shots into the top right hand corner, only to hit the woodwork

Rob Owen on the RP Messageboard

click here to have your say

45-60 minutes: TNS started the second half a lot better and enjoyed some decent possession but they did not look that threatening and it was Wrexham who should have doubled their advantage five minutes after the restart. Carlos Edwards picked the ball up on the edge of the area and fed the overlapping Steve Roberts who whipped in a good cross to Paul Barrett but the midfielder could not keep his side footed volley down from 12 yards as another opportunity was spurned by the wasteful Red Dragons. The closets TNS came to scoring was from a free kick on the left touch line. Nicky Ward swung in a cross that was caught by the wind and with Dibble struggling to back pedal the ball just cleared the Wrexham cross bar. Score 1-0 Wrexham.

60-75 minutes: TNS started to have a sustained spell of pressure and Andy Dibble came to Wrexham’s rescue on more than one occasion. The Wrexham defence were comfortable up to this point but when TNS applied some pressure the cracks started to appear. Dibble’s first save came when Ward’s inswinging corner from the left was cleared to the edge of the area. TNS got the ball back in low and after a scramble in the box Jamie Wood turned on the ball to shoot high but Dibble turned the ball over for a corner with a superb reflex save. You started to worry about the chances Sam missed in the first half with only a one goal lead and it wasn’t long before the Wrexham fans were nervous again after more dodgy defending from the resulting corner. The ball again was allowed to bounce around the penalty area and after a bit of ping ball Dibble dived low to scramble the ball on the touch line. Dibble did well to obscure the ball from the linesman with his frame and he could therefore not give a decision. My initial reaction from behind that goal was that it was not over but Carlos Edwards admitted later in an interview with Radio Wales that it did cross the line. There was more to come from TNS when a corner from the other side was hit deep to the far post for centre half Steve Evans to power his header towards goal but Steve Thomas on the far post stuck out a boot to turn it away for a corner. That was a lucky escape for Wrexham but it was TNS who were riding their luck moments later when Steve Thomas had a shot from the edge of the area that rebounded off the post. Score 1-0 Wrexham.

75-90 minutes: Moments after hitting the post Wrexham were on the attack again and put the game beyond doubt when Steve Roberts picked up a ball and ran with it to the edge of the area before driving a low shot across Dean Williams into the far bottom corner. The 2-0 score line was very harsh on TNS who should have at least been on level terms by this point. TNS almost pulled a goal pack in the last ten minutes following more bad marking due to the distance between the defence and the midfield. TNS were simply lining up shots and after there were no more players to block them, the ball rebounded off Carlos Edwards to Nicky Ward but Dibble flung his full frame at his shot to block it away to safety. Ward, who was TNS’s best player on the night, went close again after he received back a one-two inside the area but his shot from close range went the wrong side of the post from TNS’ point of view. Steve Thomas was unlucky again when he received the ball from Carlos Edwards on the edge of the area and then turned to curl a right footed shot that rebounded to safety off the post. The last chance for TNS to pull back a deserved consolation came when Dibble raced out to punch clear only to find Ward who lobbed the keeper from just outside the area only to see Craig Morgan cover back and head the danger clear. Final Score 2-0 Wrexham.

Opposition and fans: The first half they were just chasing Wrexham’s shadow but they improved in the second half with the wind in their favour. Not much noise from the fans although you could hear the girl from the Swindon Reds now on again from their side of the ground!

Officials: Not a difficult game to referee but he gave a few fouls against Wrexham despite the player winning the ball. Looks as if they got the big decision wrong with the TNS shot saved on the line, especially after Carlos admitted after that it was over the line.

Man of the match: Carlos Edwards for the full 90 minutes although Andy Dibble pulled off crucial saves in the second half.

If you were Denis Smith: Happy to be through but disappointed that the game was not killed off by half time with the chances Wrexham created. These misses from Sam almost proved costly as TNS had decent opportunities in the second half to embarrass Wrexham.

Post match thoughts: Send the caterers at Wrexham to TNS for a match. Hopefully they will learn that decent food in large sizes and reasonable prices leads to more sales. On the playing side happy to be through but how many chances did Sam waste in the first half?

Jump To: Match Stats, Match Report, Other Match Reports, Press Conference Quotes, FAW Premier Cup Results.

Wrexham AFC: TNS 0 Wrexham 2

Results

Caersws

v

Swansea City

19:00

WED

Newport County

0-1

Cardiff City

Fleetwood 71'

812

TUE

Rhyl

Moran 18' 31' 61' (p)

McGinn 27' 64'

Limbert 28'

Brewerton 36'

Hogg 85'

8-0

Barry Town

416

TUE

Total Network Solutions

0-2

Wrexham

Sam 15'

Roberts 78'

1,056