| Wrexham through following sudden death drama
PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS: TNS are unbeaten in the league this season
but we should have enough in our squad to see them off after the rest on
the weekend.
CONDITIONS: Dry and Cold
SUM UP OUR PERFORMANCE IN ONE SENTENCE: Scored some cracking
goals but our defence and midfield looked all over the place at times.
TURNING POINT: TNS missing a good chance before we equalised for
the first time.
MAIN INCIDENTS AND GOALS:
The first half was a rather dull affair with Wrexham
playing well until they reached the final third of the pitch where the
final ball was lacking any quality. Mark Jones was almost played in on
the edge of the area but his first touch was too heavy and the lose ball
was cleared away by the TNS defence.
Sam Williams had a poor first half and looked lost at times. When he did
have the opportunity to show his quality, his clear lack of pace was
exposed when the TNS defence tracked back to dispossess the on loan
front man.
TNS played some decent football during the game, looking to play balls
down the channels for their strikers to feed on. It was a good passing
move that resulted in the opening goal of the game when the ball was
switched from the left to the right flank. Although the ball in was not
too bad, Dave Bayliss made a defensive mistake cushioning his header
back into the danger area. No Wrexham player reacted to the ball in the
area and Scott Ruscoe just beat his team mate to the ball to fire past
an exposed Ingham from twelve yards.
 It
was no surprise that the ineffective Sam Williams was replaced by Juan
Ugarte at half time but Wrexham were soon forced into making a further
two substitutions after Dean Bennett and Jon Walters picked up injuries.
This forced Wrexham to switch personnel with Simon Spender and Shaun
Pejic coming on as replacements, as Dennis Lawrence moved up front to
forge an unlikely strike partnership with Ugarte.
All Wrexham could muster for the second half was a Mark Jones effort
from the edge of the area that went straight into the arms of an under
worked Ged Doherty. Jim Whitley had a couple of shots from the edge of
the area but the first ended up in the Kop with the second going out for
a throw in!
TNS should have extended their lead before Wrexham equalised following a
mistake by Bayliss that allowed Mike Wilde clean through on goal but the
striker placed his shot narrowly wide of the far post.
Wrexham’s equaliser was in complete contrast to their performance and it
was no real surprise that it was a stunning effort from Mark Jones. A
ball was played into the box that TNS could only head clear to outside
of the area where Mark Jones struck a first time volley that flew into
the far top corner of the net with TNS keeper Doherty watching in
admiration of Jones’ technique.
With fifteen minutes left the game was there for the taking for Wrexham
and the Red Dragons went close when Danny Williams’ header from Smith’s
corner was hacked clear off the line.
TNS had a chance when slack marking allowed Evans a free shot from ten
yards but he flashed his shot over the bar. TNS were not to be denied
but were helped when the Wrexham midfield, which missed a leader all
game, just parted for them. With the Wrexham defence retreating to the
eighteen yard line Wilde struck a decent shot from twenty yards passed
Ingham into the left hand corner of the net.
 Wrexham
looked down and out but with the game approaching injury time Juan
Ugarte restored parity with a well taken goal. A simple ball from Jones
found Ugarte in space and with Doherty stranded off his line, Ugarte
lifted the ball over the keeper from twenty yards for the equaliser.
Wrexham dominated proceedings in extra time and were worthy of their
lead courtesy of a strongly hit shot from Lawrence. Mark Jones played a
clever ball in the box to Ugarte but a defender could only deflect the
ball into the path of Lawrence who struck the ball into the roof of the
net with his left foot.
Wrexham failed to build on this lead and Ingham was at fault for TNS’
equaliser when he ran off his line and could only partially head the
danger clear. The ball fell to central defender Steve Evans, who was now
a make shit striker due to injuries and in one turn lobbed the ball from
thirty five yards over the stranded Ingham with the ball bouncing once
before crossing the line into an empty net.
The second period of extra time was a none event and so folded the drama
of the penalty shoot out. Alex Smith stepped up first for Wrexham but
his penalty was poor and was easily saved by Doherty only for John Layer
to hit the left hand post with his effort.
Dave Bayliss then blasted Wrexham’s second penalty into the left hand
corner with Nicky Ward finding the top right hand corner for TNS. Mark
Jones is OK with long range efforts but could only send his spot kick
straight at Doherty but Ingham dived to his right to deny Steve Evans as
it remained one each after three penalties.
 Danny
Williams sent Doherty the wrong way for Wrexham’s fourth and a well
placed penalty from Ruscoe brought the scores level again. Juan Ugarte
made no mistake with a well placed shot and Marc Lloyd Williams put the
game into sudden death although Ingham was close to making the save.
Sudden death started with Spender sending Doherty the wrong way with a
cool penalty and the game continued when Jamie Wood squeezed the ball
past Ingham off the left hand post. The nerves started when Doherty
saved Lawrence’s effort and TNS’s celebrations were premature as Chris
King fired high over the bar.
The drama continued with the eighth set of penalties
when Doherty pulled off a save diving low to his left but it was not a
great penalty from Whitley. Ingham saved the midfielder’s blushes when
he dived to his left and pushed Jackson’s effort onto the bar with a
brilliant save.
Wrexham’s ninth penalty of the night was despatched confidently by Pejic
and Ingham was the hero for Wrexham when he denied TNS’ keeper Doherty
from the spot to send Wrexham through to the final.
OPPOSITION AND FANS: It is easily to see why TNS are fifteen
points clear of the Welsh Premier and played some decent football at
times and were unlucky on the night
OFFICIALS: Mark Whitby from Swansea was absolutely useless
consistently letting challenges from TNS go unpunished all night.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Not many to chose from for Wrexham with Danny
Williams again putting in a decent display at the back.
IF YOU WERE DENIS SMITH: Pray that Walters’ injury is not too
serious as Sam Williams does not look up to much. |
Semi
Final
52'
58'
45'
58'
52'
45'
