Match Report

PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS: With the play offs virtually out of reach, it would be good to see some of the youngsters given a chance in a new formation.

CONDITIONS: Sunny and warm

SUM UP OUR PERFORMANCE IN ONE SENTENCE: Spirited and we looked solid when we switched to 4-4-2.

TURNING POINT: Second half penalty put Wrexham on the back foot and it looked as if Oxford were going to claim all three points.

MAIN INCIDENTS AND GOALS:

Oxford started the game better with Michael Jones forced into making three decent saves in the opening fifteen minutes where as Wrexham were shot shy up to this point in the game.

Andy Burgess had the two first efforts on goal with both coming from outside of the area. The first was a twenty five yard drive that Michael Jones saved comfortably but five minutes later the young Wrexham keeper pulled of a great save to tip Burgess’ volley over the bar.

Tcham N’Toya then sprung the offside trap to break clear on the Wrexham goal but Michael Jones again did well by diving at the feet of the striker to block the shot away for a corner that Wrexham managed to clear.

It took a full twenty minutes for Wrexham’s first effort to be recorded and Jon Walters was unlucky to see his header from Holt’s cross bounce off the top of the bar and behind for a goalkick.

Michael Jones was again forced to come off his line when former Wrexham striker Steve Basham broke clear of the Wrexham defence and Jones again did superbly well to turn Basham’s chip behind for a corner.

With Oxford spurning all these opportunities, Wrexham hit them with the opening goal of the game after twenty eight minutes. It was a simple goal starting from a right wing cross from Lee Roche into the area and keeper Guatelli came to collect the ball whilst Jon Walters was challenging with a couple of Oxford defenders. The keeper looked to have collected the ball but dropped it as he hit the ground awkwardly and the ball broke kindly to Matt Crowell. The midfielder took the ball down on his chest and forced himself past two players before despatching it into the empty net. Sadly for Guatelli this was his last contribution in the game as he left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Chris Tardif.

This rocked Oxford and they took ten minutes to muster another chance when Burgess hit his shot high over the bar. With the half drawing to a close, substitute keeper Tardiff pulled off two decent saves to deny Walters and Derbyshire.

Wrexham broke quickly from their own half and Walters was set free down the left channel. He cut inside two players but his finishing was not up to his approach play and Tradiff pulled off the save by diving low to his left.

The second was from an opportunist lob from Derbyshire when he was played in down the left side of the area. With the ball bouncing off the ground he stuck his foot and almost lobbed the Tardiff until his outstretched hand denied Wrexham a second goal that would have killed Oxford off.

There was still time for a shot from the edge of the area by Sabin that curled narrowly round the outside of the far post and N’Toya dallied on Sabin’s cross in the box and Wrexham managed to scramble the ball clear to end the half one goal to the good.

Oxford responded well after the break and a free kick from half time substitute Jay Smith dipped narrowly over Michael Jones’ bar. Burgess spurned another opportunity by firing over the bar from only six yards out and another good run from Sabin should have ended in a goal but Wrexham managed to scramble the ball clear.

Oxford were throwing everything at Wrexham and got their rewards when they were awarded a penalty after 63 minutes. It came following another good run from the impressive Sabin and when he skipped into the box, an outstretched leg from Shaun Pejic brought the striker down and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Although Michael Jones dived the right way, N’Toya’s spot kick squirmed underneath the body of the Wrexham keeper and into the corner of the net.

Wrexham then changed to a 4-4-2 with Matty Done playing left wing after earlier replacing Darren Ferguson. It took a further five minutes for Wrexham to adjust the personnel into the correct positions but soon as Danny Williams slotted into midfield, you felt that Wrexham were not likely to concede another and instead took the game to Oxford.

Done gave Wrexham that extra dimension and from one run, when he beat three Oxford defenders to burst into the box, a defender’s leg managed to deflect the ball away from Derbyshire and Walters at the far post who were waiting for a tap in.

Holt and Done combined well down the left and from Holt’s cross Derbyshire narrowly floated a headed wide of the near post with the keeper stuck on his line. Wrexham did not manufacture anything after that but there was still time for Burgess to miss yet another sitter. Sabin’s pace again took him away from the Wrexham defence and after he picked out Burgess, the striker mis-controlled the ball when only six yards out and it trickled harmlessly behind for a goalkick.

OPPOSITION: Battled well and created enough chances with Sabin a constant threat all afternoon. It they had a finisher then they would not be staring at relegation to the Conference.

OFFICIALS: Had a good game and there can be no arguments over the penalty.

MAN OF THE MATCH: The best player on the pitch was Oxford’s Sabin but Michael Jones did well pulling off crucial saves early on.

IF YOU WERE DENIS SMITH: Take positives from the way we played when we switched to 4-4-2.

Match Reaction

Listen to Denis Smith speaking to BBC Radio Wales

Denis Smith: "I wouldn't say it wasn't a fair result, and the game swung from end-to-end, both sides were really going for it. We finished the game with three scholars on the pitch and the future looks good. That's been the problem since I've been here, being able to hold onto players. Hopefully we can hold onto those, as all three did well today. Matt Derbyshire is still carrying a virus. He missed a game a while back and he just can't get rid of this chest infection, he's coughing and spluttering and his head's banging but we haven't got anybody else to be honest. He still looks like he might get a goal and nearly got a couple today and always looks like he'll make a chance but he's not 100%. There were chances at both ends and Michael Jones has done well again, there were a couple of things that I wasn't happy with but generally he's done well. At the other end Jon Walters just needs a break; he's hit the bar and the keepers made a great save but he deserves credit for the effort that he puts in." [Source: Wrexham AFC -click here for more]

Wrexham

Starting XI:

13	Michael Jones
18	Shaun Pejic
08	Danny Williams
25	Mike Williams
15	Lee Roche
16	Matt Crowell
17	Mark Jones 45'
10	Darren Ferguson 56'
07	Andy Holt
09	Jon Walters 85'
14	Matt Derbyshire

Subs:

01	Michael Ingham (GK)
03	Alex Smith
06	Dennis Lawrence 85'
12	Dean Bennett 45'
22	Matt Done 56'

Stats:

Oxford United

Starting XI:

27	Andrea Guatelli 32'
02	Lee Mansell
15	John Dempster
05	Chris Willmott
03	Matthew Robinson
04	Barry Quinn
10	Chris Hargreaves 45'
17	Andrew Burgess
09	Steve Basham 62'
33	Tcham N'Toya
18	Eric Sabin

Subs:

01	Christopher Tardiff (GK) 32'
07	Yemi Odubade
08	Jay Smith 45'
14	Tim Sills 62'
20	Jamie Brooks

Stats:

Match Notes

Other Match Reports

BBC Radio Wales Match Report

BBC: Wrexham 1-1 Oxford United

Oxford United FC: Wrexham 1 United 1

TEAMtalk: Oxford slip into the bottom two

Wales on Sunday: The Smiths sing different songs

Wrexham MAD: Wrexham 1 Oxford United 1

League 2 Results

Barnet 0 Stockport 0
Boston United 2 Rushden & Diamonds 0
Bury 0 Mansfield Town 0
Carlisle 1 Torquay United 2
Cheltenham Town 2 Notts County 0
Leyton Orient 2 Peterborough United 1
Macclesfield 1 Grimsby Town 1
Northampton Town 1 Chester City 0
Rochdale 2 Bristol Rovers 0
Shrewsbury Town 0 Lincoln City 1
Wrexham 1 Oxford United 1
Wycombe Wanderers 1 Darlington 1

League 2 Table

Next Game

Darlington (a), Coca Cola League 2

Saturday 06 May 2006, Kick Off @ 15:00