|
Match Report |
Wrexham’s poor run of form continued
with a disappointing second half display that leaves Wrexham in
nineteenth position and three points above a relegation spot in League
Two.
The game started well for Wrexham and they fully deserved their 1-0
advantage at half time courtesy of a goal from returning captain Neil
Roberts. The introduction of Izale McLeod at half time turned the game in the favour
of the visitors and he took only a minute following the restart to level
the game and was instrumental in setting up the winning goal for
O’Hanlon with thirteen minutes left.
By this time, Wrexham’s thread bare squad was at breaking point as all
three substitutes had to be used with Neil Roberts, Lee Roche and Steve
Evans coming off injured.
MK Dons were the quickest out of the blocks and had a penalty appeal
turned down by Uriah Rennie following a challenge by Gareth Evans on
Clive Platt in the box.
Despite this early scare, it was Wrexham who controlled the next fifteen
minutes with Neil Roberts holding up the ball well and Darren Ferguson
retaining possession in midfield.
A change to a 4-3-3 system, with Llewellyn and Done up front alongside
Roberts, appeared to be working and the defence looked comfortable
against the rare attacks from the visitors.
The chances were going Wrexham’s way but were all from shots
just outside of the area. Mark Jones was first to try his luck but
his shot was straight at the keeper and moments later a fierce shot from
Jones was turned behind for a corner. The Dons struggled to clear the
danger from Ferguson’s set play and when the ball rebounded out to
Ferguson, the midfielder went close with a shot that just missed the far
post.
Wrexham then got the goal their dominance deserved in the twentieth
minute but they did require three attempts to get the ball across the
line. Wrexham forced a corner that the Dons again failed to deal with
and this allowed Mike Williams to get a shot on goal. This was well
blocked and the rebound from Crowell was deflected into the patch of
Neil Roberts who managed to force the ball past Baines.
This sparked the Dons into life and they were unlucky not to be on level
terms with half an hour of the game gone. Lee Roche was penalised for a
heavy challenge on Taylor and from the resulting free kick McGovern
curled a well shot narrowly wide.
Wrexham responded with a good run from Done forcing another corner that
the visitors failed to deal with. The ball was only partially cleared to
Llewellyn but his shot went straight into the arms of the keeper.
This time it was Wrexham’s turn not to clear a corner properly and
Taylor was denied when his shot beat Ingham but struck the far post. The
ball rebounded across the face of goal before being put behind for a
corner, which Ingham dealt with by making a good catch inside his six
yard box.
Wrexham were worthy of their 1-0 half time lead but the Dons showed
enough late on in the first half to suggest that they were capable of finding the
equaliser but nobody was expecting it to come within a minute of the
restart.
Dons’ top goal scorer Izale McLeod was brought on for the start of the
second half and Martin Allen’s substitution paid immediate dividends
with McLeod celebrating a equaliser with virtually his first touch of
the game.
McLeod received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the 18
yard box and the Wrexham defence stood off him when he collected Platt’s flick on. McLeod was allowed to turn and he drilled a shot
through the legs of Steve Evans with Ingham routed to his spot.
The power and pace of McLeod was causing the Wrexham defence a lot of
problems and he was again through on goal after leaving Gareth Evans for
dead but Ingham turned his shot behind for a corner. The set play was
delivered to Wilbraham, who was left in too much space at the back post,
but he could only direct his header straight at Ingham.
Wrexham started to stem the attacks as they got to grips with McLeod but
the loss of Neil Roberts was a crucial blow. Roberts was holding
the ball up well and was always a good outlet for the defence and you
could sense the disappointment around the ground as Roberts limped off
to be replaced by Newby.
With twenty minutes of the game left, Wrexham broke quickly on the
counterattack with Llewellyn picking out Mark Jones with a superb
through ball. Jones advanced to the edge of the area but his well struck
shot was expertly saved by Baines.
Wrexham then lost Lee Roche to be replaced by Simon Spender but again
went close when Ferguson’s free kick just missed Steve Evans at the back
post.
Despite Wrexham now looking the most likely to grab the winner it was
the MK Dons who took the lead with thirteen minutes left on the clock.
McLeod was played in down the right channel and his low cross missed the
Wrexham defenders in the six yard box and O’Hanlon had the simple task
of tapping in virtually on the goal line.
Wrexham immediately lost the services of Steve Evans and were forced
into their third substitution with Levi Mackin coming on into midfield.
This meant that Crowell had to drop into the right back’s position with
Mike Williams moving alongside Gareth Evans in the centre of defence and
Simon Spender playing at left back!
Chris Llewellyn had a glorious opportunity to equalise with five minutes
left after he dispossessed Diallo twenty five yards from goal but
Llewellyn took the wrong option in attempting to bend the ball inside of
the top corner when he had Newby in support and the ball went
agonisingly wide of the post.
Simon Spender had one last chance when he cut in from the left wing but
his right footed shot went wide of the far post, as Wrexham fell to
their sixth defeat in seven games. |
|
Match Reaction |
|
Denis Smith: "I thought that we played well in the
first half, but Stevie Evans got injured and should have come off before
half-time. I didn't have anyone to bring on but fair play to the lad he's
battled on. Now whether it was sensible to leave him on, but if anyone can
come up with a good suggestion of what else I could have done, I don't think
that I've missed anything. Llewellyn was 2-1 late on and if it goes in the
top corner then it's a great finish, but if he doesn't hit the target then
he should have put Jon Newby in who is in the clear but he didn't. That's as
expensive as someone making a mistake at the other end."
[Source:
Wrexham FC - click here for more]
Martin Allen: "We played much better in the second
half, despite hitting a post before the interval. We played a lot higher up
the pitch after the break and obviously the goal, coming so soon after half
time, gave our players a big boost and was a major knock to the Wrexham
lads." [Source:
Wrexham FC - click here for more] |
|
|
Match Notes |
| Venue |
Racecourse Ground |
| Attendance |
3,828 |
| Half Time |
Wrexham 1 Mk Dons 0 |
| Referee |
Uriah Rennie (Sheffield) |
|
|
Other Match Reports |
|
Wrexham
Dragons: Final Whistle Podcast
BBC: Wrexham 1-2 MK Dons
MK Dons: WREXHAM 1 MK DONS 2
TEAMtalk: McLeod inspires Dons comeback
Wales on Sunday: Smith woes grow
Wrexham FC: Wrexham 1 MK Dons 2 |
|
League 2 Results |
|
Barnet 0
Lincoln City 5
Boston United 1 Mansfield 1
Hartlepool 1 Stockport 1
Hereford 1 Darlington 1
Macclesfield 2 Bury 3
Notts County 1 Bristol Rovers 2
Peterborough 2 Shrewsbury 1
Rochdale 0 Chester 0
Swindon 3 Grimsby 0
Torquay 0 Accrington Stanley 2
Walsall 2 Wycombe 0
Wrexham 1 Milton Keynes Dons 2
|
|
League 2 Table |
| |
|
Pld
|
GD
|
PTS
|
|
1 |
Walsall |
14 |
19 |
31 |
|
2 |
Lincoln City |
14 |
13 |
29 |
|
3 |
Swindon |
14 |
10 |
28 |
|
4 |
Wycombe |
14 |
7 |
26 |
|
5 |
Milton Keynes Dons |
14 |
4 |
26 |
|
6 |
Notts County |
14 |
4 |
24 |
|
7 |
Peterborough |
14 |
1 |
24 |
| 8 |
Shrewsbury |
13 |
10 |
20 |
| 9 |
Accrington Stanley |
14 |
3 |
20 |
| 10 |
Hartlepool |
14 |
1 |
19 |
| 11 |
Bristol Rovers |
14 |
-5 |
18 |
| 12 |
Rochdale |
14 |
4 |
17 |
| 13 |
Chester |
14 |
-1 |
17 |
| 14 |
Darlington |
14 |
-2 |
17 |
| 15 |
Hereford |
14 |
-3 |
17 |
| 16 |
Torquay |
14 |
-3 |
17 |
| 17 |
Mansfield |
14 |
-5 |
15 |
| 18 |
Stockport |
14 |
-5 |
15 |
| 19 |
Wrexham |
12 |
-7 |
15 |
| 20 |
Grimsby |
14 |
-10 |
15 |
| 21 |
Bury |
13 |
-3 |
14 |
| 22 |
Barnet |
14 |
-7 |
12 |
|
23 |
Boston United |
14 |
-9 |
12 |
|
24 |
Macclesfield |
14 |
-16 |
4 |
|
|
Next Game |
|
Rochdale (h/a),
Johnstone's PaintTrophy Round1
Tuesday 17
October 2006, Kick Off @ 19:45 |
|
71'
80'
64'
71'
80'
64'