Wrexham v

Accrington Stanley

Monday 01 January 2007

 

Kick Off @ 15:00



The Opposition

After an encouraging start to life back in the Football league, last season's conference champions have struggled in recent months with their last win in the league coming in mid October. Their game against Mansfield was abandoned on Saturday with the scores level at 1-1 and this left Stanley in twenty-first position with 23 points, just out of the relegation zone on goal difference, after twenty-four games played.

 

Accrington, like Wrexham, have struggled away from home this season winning only one of the twelve games they have played on their travels. Seven have ended in defeat with the other four resulting in draws and this leaves Stanley second bottom of the away league, although this is one place better than Wrexham can muster!

 

Accrington have conceded the most goals so far this season with forty-six shipped in the twenty-four games they have played and this comes at an average of 1.92 per game. Stanley have also failed to come from behind this season to collect three points and have only drawn six games after conceding the first goal.

 

Top goal scorer for Accrington is midfielder Gareth Roberts with a return of eight goals this season, although his last goal came back in mid October when Stanley recorded their last victory at now bottom Torquay in a 2-0 win.

 

The man in charge of Accrington is John Coleman and he has been in charge of team affairs since joining the Club at the start of the 1999 season. A familiar face on the Accrington bench is former Wrexham goalkeeper Andy Dibble who is a coach with the Lancashire club after making two appearances for the club in their promotion year following his release by Wrexham.

Past Encounters

Last 5 Meetings

Sep 06: Accrington 5 Wrexham 0
Mar 61: Wrexham 3 Accrington 0
Oct 60: Accrington 0 Wrexham 3
Jan 60: Wrexham 2 Accrington 3
Aug 59: Accrington 2 Wrexham 2

The last games between the two teams since 1961 was one to forget for Wrexham as they were comprehensively spanked 5-0 at Accrington.

 

In the overall head to head, Wrexham lead Accrington with 33 wins to 27 and there have been 11 draws in the 71 games played.

League Form Guide

Team Last 5 Games League Position Form Position Last Win
Wrexham LDWDL 18th 18th 3 games
Accrington DLDLD 21st 22nd 10 games

Accrington arrive into the game without a win since mid October. Since then they have recorded five straight defeats but in more recent times they have picked up draws at Macclesfield and home to Bury but conceded four goals in 4-0 defeats at Bristol Rovers and 4-3 at home to MK Dons. In their last outing on Saturday, Stanley took the lead but were pegged back to 1-1 by Mansfield before the game was abandoned at half time.

 

Wrexham's defeat at Hereford on the weekend was their first in five league games although they are undefeated at home since mid October. Since then Wrexham have had encouraging results against Lincoln (2-1), Walsall (1-1) and Darlington (1-0).

Team News

Wrexham Team News: Wrexham have Ryan Valentine back in the squad following illness but the same virus has ruled out Danny Williams for the second successive game. Steve Evans is available following a four game ban but Wrexham have doubts over Matt Crowell after the midfielder limped out of the defeat at Hereford on the weekend. Wrexham also remain without Mark Jones, Levi Mackin, Neil Roberts and Juan Ugarte

Accrington Stanley Team News: With Accrington's game against Mansfield abandoned on the weekend it means they are without striker Andy Mangan and Phil Edwards who were banned for the game for the weekend but the abandonment means that the game did not count towards their suspension.
Accrington are also without the injured Danny Ventre (fractured tibia), Rommy Boco (back), Peter Cavanagh (knee).

Man in the Middle: The match referee is premiership official Mike Dean from the Wirral. Mike Dean has refereed 21 games so far this season, sending off 5 players and booking 67 at an average of 3.19 per game.

Other Games

League 2 Fixtures:

Boston United v Barnet
Bristol Rovers v Torquay
Bury v Darlington
Grimsby v Rochdale
Macclesfield v Lincoln City
Mansfield v Hartlepool
Milton Keynes Dons v Swindon
Notts County v Chester
Peterborough v Walsall
Shrewsbury v Stockport
Wrexham v Accrington Stanley
Wycombe v Hereford

Leaders Walsall will face a difficult task when they travel to seventh placed Peterborough as they look to maintain their four point gap over second placed MK Dons.

The Dons themselves face a difficult game in the league 2 match of the day when they entertain fourth placed Swindon whilst third placed Lincoln travel to Macclesfield who have moved off bottom of the table following a good run of form.

Rock bottom Torquay will have to start winning sooner of later and travel to Bristol Rovers for their first game in the New Year.

Venue Guide

Address: Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AH

Telephone Number: 01978 262129

Fax Number: 01978 357821

Web Site: www.wrexhamafc.co.uk

Accrington Websites

How to get there?

By Car: Leave the M6 at Junction 20a to join the M56 towards Chester and at Junction 15 turn left onto the M53 towards Chester. The M53 becomes the A55 and at junction 36 turn left onto the A483 towards Wrexham. Leave the A483 at the junction with the A541 and take the first left at the roundabout and straight over the next roundabout and the ground is ahead of you on your left.

By Train: Wrexham General is next to the ground and there is a service every two hours between Chester and Shrewsbury. There is also an hourly service between Wrexham and Liverpool. Click here for the Rail Track Online Timetable or call national enquiries on 08457 484950.

When you are there
Car Parking: NEWI College just before the ground and a local car park just before the Shell Garage on the opposite side of the road and both cost around £2.00. Free parking is available on the retail parks by turning left at the second roundabout but do not park in ALDI or you will get clamped! Avoid B&Q as they have a maximum stay of two hours and issue parking tickets for £125 and the new Central Retail park just passed the train station operates a time restriction policy.

Beer and Grub: The Turf is right next to the Kop but it gets very busy in the hour leading up to kick off, so arrive early. The Official Supporters Club has use of the Centenary Club on matchdays and this is located behind the Sainsburys Stand with the entrance off the club car park. The Plas Coch Retail Park has a pub and is normally a favourite for away supporters. The Railway is located down the side road along the Remploy factory at the opposite end of Crispin Lane to the ground. There are plenty of pubs in the town centre and the closet to the ground is a Wetherspoons Pub by following Mold Road into the town centre and is found on your left hand side. If you continue into the town centre McDonalds will be on your left and the next pub you reach is The Horse and Jockey and opposite that under the archway is a good chip shop. There are more pubs on High Street and to find them continue pass the Horse and Jockey, passing Burger King on your left, and High Street is the junction with Burtons.

Cash Machines: The Shell Garage on Mold Road with further machines at Sainsburys and Boots on the Plas Coch Retail Park. If you are heading into the town centre you will pass a number of banks on your way to the pubs.

How much to get in?

Stand Adults Senior/YP Juniors
Kop £14 £7 £5
Sainsburys £16 £10 £5
Mold Road £17 £10 £10
Away Stand £16 £10 £5

Family Tickets:

1 Adult & 1 Children: £21 all areas

1 Adult & 2 Children: £26 all areas

2 adults & 2 Children: £42 all areas

Must be purchased in advance from the ticket office

Young Persons: Only available to members and tickets must be purchased in advance from the ticket office.

Disabled Facilities

Wrexham have 45 disabled places available at the front of the Pryce Griffiths Stand. There are 22 parking spaces and two disabled toilets with dedicated refreshment kiosks. Admission is £10 for the disabled supporter (£5 concessions) with the helper admitted free. Please contact Tony Millington at The Racecourse on 01978 262129.

Weather Forecast

Sunny with temperatures reaching six degrees Celsius and a 16 mph westerly wind.