|
Match Report |
A slow start from Wrexham cost them dear
with Bury opening the scoring in the seventh minute and despite the
improved display in the second half they were unable to rescue a point.
The game showed a clear contrast in both set of strikers with the Bury
pairing always looking to stretch the Wrexham defence where as the on
loan duo up front for Wrexham lacked any understanding with Molango
struggling with the offside rule.
Wrexham only showed one change from the weekend with Darren Ferguson not
recovering from illness and his place in midfield was taken by Matt
Crowell. Denis Smith decided to stick with the on loan duo of Kevin
Smith and Maheta Molango up front and this meant Jon Newby had to settle
for a place on the bench against the club who released him in the
summer.
After a twenty minute delay to the start of the game following
floodlight failure it was Bury who started the brighter and the Shakers
had a header from Andy Bishop but his effort turned out to be a
comfortable first touch for Michael Ingham. Bishop was again involved
for Bury as they broke quickly from one end of the pitch to the other
but Bishop this time shot straight at Ingham.
Bury did all the early running and took the lead after only seven
minutes. Hurst picked out Bishop with a good cross but he failed to make
any contact with the ball. Bishop recovered the lose ball and picked out
Mattis in the box and he despatched the ball past Ingham courtesy of the
post.
Bury threatened again with ten minutes gone when Buchanan attempted to
pick out Bishop but the presence of Pejic was enough to see off the
Shakers’ striker.
Wrexham were saved by a very late flag from the linesman in the twelfth
minute as good football from Hurst picked out Baker but his pass to
Bishop was ruled offside after the Bury striker stroked the ball into
the back of the net.
Wrexham almost fashioned a chance when a run from Done down the left
almost caught out Schmeichel in the Bury goal when Molango challenged
for the ball.
Moments later it was Wrexham’s turn to be denied by the flag when a good
finish from Molango was ruled offside but at least a threat up front
gave Wrexham some hope following the disappointing start to the game.
After a quiet spell in the game, good play from Bury resulted in Baker
having a shot on goal that Ingham dealt with comfortably. Wrexham almost
immediately broke at the other end with a Molango failing to make a
connection on Valentine’s cross after poor defending from the home side.
After a scrappy spell, schoolboy defending from Wrexham allowed Bury to
have a couple of attempts to extend their lead. Mike Williams was caught
out down the left but the first shot from Glynn Hurst struck the back of
a Wrexham defender but the rebound from only ten yards out was somehow
struck over by Richie Baker.
Wrexham did have an opportunity six minutes before half time but Kevin
Smith’s free kick bounced once before going straight into the arms of an
under worked Kasper Schmeichel in the Bury goal.
Bury were almost celebrating a second on the stroke of half time when
Bishop held off the presence of the Wrexham defence and he picked out
Baker, who had arrived unmarked from midfield, but his shot was blocked
by Valentine and Wrexham cleared the danger.
But as the first half entered injury time a powerful run from Mark Jones
resulted in the Wrexham winger bursting free into the box but he shot
straight at Schmeichel who turned the ball behind for a corner. Baker
header clear the resulting set play with the referee blowing up for half
time soon after.
But just as the players were leaving for half time the floodlights
failed for a second time and this resulted in the second half not
kicking off until 9:20. Wrexham replaced Kevin Smith and Ryan Valentine
with Jon Newby and Lee Roche respectively during the extended half time
break.
Wrexham at least started the second half brightly by forcing a corner
early on but after Wrexham lost possession, Bury broke quickly and Pugh
was given too much time to turn and attempt a curling shot that narrowly
missed the target.
Wrexham continued to dictate proceedings in the second half and looked a
lot sharper following the restart. A good run by Mark Jones created an
opening for Done down the left channel but his shot was blocked away by
the Bury defence.
Molango ended up in the book for persistent infringement after he fouled
Richie Baker and Michael Ingham rescued Wrexham after Done was beaten on
his left flank. The ball was played in down the right channel for Hurst
and, after he escaped the presence of Evans, the on loan striker failed
to pick out Bishop at the far post with Ingham turning his shot onto the
post and behind for a corner.
Goal scorer Mattis ended up in the book for a foul on Done but the
resulting free kick from Crowell turned out to be a comfortable save for
Schmeichel. Further good play from Jones resulted in a free kick in a
promising position when the Bury defender hand balled on the edge of the
area but the free kick by Crowell was wasted. This proved to be
Crowell’s contribution as he was replaced in the 71st minute by Josh
Johnson who came on at the right wing with Mark Jones moving into
midfield.
Ingham again rescued Wrexham when the ball went over the top of Pejic
who was shrugged off the ball by Bishop but Ingham managed to turn the
ball behind for a corner.
Wrexham forced a corner as the game went into the final ten minutes but
it could have been more when Steve Evans flicked the ball on in the box
but Bury turned the ball behind before Newby could pounce. When Wrexham
worked the ball in from Johnson, Steve Evans climbed well but headed
over with time running out for the equaliser.
Josh Johnson broke in from the right and fired straight at Schmeichel
and a good run and cross from Done down the left looked perfect for
Molango but he waited for the ball to arrive rather than attacking it
with any conviction.
Steve Evans went up front for Wrexham for the three minutes of injury
time but were unable to create any clear cut opportunities despite all
their efforts in the second half. The only shot came when a long free
kick from Roche was headed clear to the edge of the area but Mark Jones
fired over into the stand containing the Wrexham fans and soon after
their long night was over with the full time whistle sounding. |
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Match Reaction |
|
Denis Smith: "It is not difficult to put your finger on the problems,
you only have to walk into our treatment room where you have got Ugarte,
McEvilly and Roberts, with Llewellyn sitting there talking to them. And the
fifth choice, Tom, is up at Middlesbrough in the treatment room. But in the
end I thought we did enough to get something out of it. At half-time I
thought we could push on and try and take the game to them a bit more which
we did. I put a second winger on and Mark Jones was basically playing as a
third striker so we couldn’t have thrown any more players forward. But if
you put crosses into the box you have to get people on the end of them. Mike
had to work harder than their keeper, which is disappointing, but if you
chase the game you’re always liable to get caught on the break. We had too
many front players on the pitch if you want to make it tight at the back.
But they were there to try and get us back into the game – you have to have
a go and try and get the three points. But we didn’t succeed and that’s the
disappointing bit. I can’t turn around and say they haven’t worked or tried,
they gave it everything, but we’re lacking that cutting edge.”
Chris Casper: "We could have been three or four up at
half time. It was a delicate lead and Wrexham put us under some pressure in
the last ten minutes, but as usual, the two centre halves were magnificent
and you can include Colin Woodthorpe in that as well."
[Source:
Wrexham FC - click here for more] |
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|
Match Notes |
| Venue |
Gigg Lane |
| Attendance |
2,506 |
| Half Time |
Bury 1 Wrexham 0 |
| Referee |
R Shoebridge (Derbyshire) |
|
|
Other Match Reports |
|
BBC:
Bury 1-0 Wrexham
TEAMtalk:
Dragons slump to Shakers defeat
Wrexham FC: Bury 1 Wrexham 0 |
|
League 2 Results |
|
Bury 1 Wrexham
0 |
|
League 2 Table |
|
|
|
PLD
|
GD
|
PTS
|
|
1 |
Walsall |
17 |
21 |
38 |
|
2 |
Lincoln City |
17 |
18 |
35 |
|
3 |
Wycombe |
17 |
10 |
33 |
|
4 |
Swindon |
17 |
9 |
31 |
|
5 |
Milton Keynes Dons |
17 |
4 |
30 |
|
6 |
Notts County |
17 |
5 |
28 |
|
7 |
Peterborough |
17 |
1 |
28 |
| 8 |
Bury |
17 |
2 |
26 |
| 9 |
Hereford |
17 |
1 |
26 |
| 10 |
Darlington |
17 |
1 |
24 |
| 11 |
Stockport |
17 |
0 |
24 |
| 12 |
Shrewsbury |
16 |
9 |
22 |
| 13 |
Bristol Rovers |
17 |
-6 |
22 |
| 14 |
Mansfield |
17 |
-2 |
21 |
| 15 |
Accrington Stanley |
17 |
-1 |
20 |
| 16 |
Hartlepool |
17 |
-1 |
20 |
| 17 |
Chester |
17 |
-2 |
20 |
| 18 |
Wrexham |
16 |
-9 |
19 |
| 19 |
Torquay |
17 |
-5 |
18 |
| 20 |
Barnet |
17 |
-7 |
18 |
| 21 |
Rochdale |
17 |
-6 |
17 |
| 22 |
Grimsby |
17 |
-14 |
16 |
|
23 |
Boston United |
17 |
-11 |
13 |
|
24 |
Macclesfield |
17 |
-17 |
6 |
|
|
Next Game |
|
Stevenage
Borough (h), FA Cup Round 1
Saturday 11
November 2006, Kick Off @ 15:00 |
|
76'
79'
76'
79'
71'
71'