Match Report |
Wrexham were again hard done by as the
MK Dons came from behind to take all three points with the game turning
on a first half decision by referee Keith Hill that left Wrexham down to
ten men and the home side back on level terms.
Wrexham were by far the better side up to this point and good value for
the 1-0 lead courtesy of McEvilly’s fifth goal in as many league games
in the eleventh minute but the second half was all one way traffic with
the Dons taking all three points with another controversial goal five
minutes before the end.
Wrexham showed four changes from the previous week with Michael Ingham
and Danny Williams back from injury to replace John Ruddy and Gareth
Evans respectively. Mike Williams replaced the suspended Ryan Valentine
and there was a first start in a month for Simon Spender as he replaced
Chris Llewellyn but operated on the right of midfield with Mark Jones on
the left.
It was a bright opening to the game with the home side having the first
chance when McLeod latched onto a flick on but Ingham did well to gather
the ball at the feet of the Don’s top scorer.
Wrexham enjoyed the best of the possession early on and opened the
scoring when Neil Roberts sprung the offside trap from Whitley’s good
ball over the top but it looked as if Roberts had over hit the square
pass to McEvilly but he still managed to score whilst stretching at the
far post.
Wrexham had a chance to extend the lead following the restart when
Roberts this time found space down the left wing but his centre was over
hit and McEvilly was off target after Spender rescued the situation.
The Dons tried to break quickly and Lee Roche ended up in the book for
what looked like a nothing challenge as he tussled with McLeod but it
was Wrexham who remained on top with the wind in our favour, although we
never really tested the goalkeeper despite forcing a number of set
plays.
It was completely frustrating that the referee awarded the home side a
penalty with nine minutes of the first half remaining and this
completely changed the course of the game as Wrexham were reduced to ten
men after Roche picked up a second yellow card for what appeared to be
dissent.
Wrexham had failed to deal with a corner from the right as the Dons
worked themselves in down the channel and the initial shot from McLeod
was charged down to Andrews who fired in a pile driver of that struck
Roche who was only yards fro the away from the shot and how Keith Hill
viewed this as deliberate hand ball is beyond me.
To make matters worse Roche collected his second yellow card and there
was also one for Garrett for protesting the decision. When the dust
finally settled on the incident Keith Andrews made no mistake from the
spot by sending Ingham the wrong way.
Wrexham reorganised with Spender dropping back to full back and Mark
Jones switching flanks with Lee McEvilly again finding himself at left
wing for the second game in succession. McEvilly ended up in the book
before half time for another nothing challenge but took great pleasure
in reminding the ref of what the Wrexham fans though of him as he isuued
the Wrexham striker with a yellow card.
There was no further action in the remainder of the first half and the
Dons started the second half strongly with Ingham having to tip a chip
from McGovern onto the bar and Wrexham were grateful to see the flag
raised after McLeod had headed in the rebound unmarked.
The second half was a real uphill battle for Wrexham with the wind
against them making it difficult to clear the ball and with Roberts up
front on his own there was little rest time for the Wrexham defence.
Ingham looked to have brought down Dyer down in the box after the winger
had got clear down the ref but more random decisions from referee Keith
Hill resulted in the Dons player ending up in the book for diving! This
even resulted in the home fans canting 'you don't know what you're
doing' and the truly awful official!The home
side went close to taking the lead from a well worked corner that
McGovern delivered to the edge of the area from where Lewington ran in
to hit a first time volley narrowly wide of the near post.
Robbie Garrett dropped off the pace in the second half after facing a
long midweek trip to Israel with Northern Ireland and he was replaced by
Levi Mackin just following the hour mark but this change did nothing to
stop what felt like wave after wave of attacks from the Dons.
The Dons went even closer from another corner midway through the second
half. This time it was a short corner that was played to the edge of the
area and it was Gary Smith who arrived unmarked to strike a shot that
rebounded away off the near post.
Martin Allen made a double substitution with fifteen minutes left and
sacrificed defenders for attackers in the form of Knight and Hayes with
Wrexham very rarely getting out of our own half. Wrexham were also
forced into another change with Danny Williams again struggling with his
back and he was replaced by Gareth Evans.
The Dons made their final change with ten minutes left with the giant of
a figure Stirling replacing Edds as the home side went all out attack in
search of the three points.
Ingham then did well to come out and collect the ball at the feet of
McLeod but he pulled his hamstring in the process and required treatment
before the game continued.
With Wrexham looking like they could hold on for a valuable point, the
defence was finally beaten with five minutes left but initial thoughts
looked like Platt’s header had not crossed the line after Haines had
stood the ball up for him inside of the box although there were no
complaints coming from any of the Wrexham players.
Wrexham then replaced Mark Jones with Josh Johnson and will all three
substitutes on the pitch, Wrexham’s bad luck continued with Michael
Ingham going down injured after colliding with McLeod after the Dons'
top scorer latched onto a poor back header from Gareth Evans.
Ingham eventually went off with a hamstring problem and Wrexham ended
the game with nine men for the second week running with Simon spender
finishing the game in goal.
After many an away defeat this season you always felt as if the players
were not trying but many a Wrexham fan left the game content with the
performance but the manner of the defeat was truly hard to take with
referee Keith Hill turning the game on it’s head in the first half when
we were on top. |
Match Reaction |
Brian Carey: "While people don't want to hear it, and
I have said this a few times in recent weeks, down to 10-men and even nine
at the end, we performed terrifically. When this was a fair contest, we were
the better team and I could see us going onto win the game. Our game plan
was working well early on, we were a goal up, the players were putting in a
performance. Decisions are made, the wrong decisions in our view, even
Martin Allen said how when the ball is moving a 200mph you can give a
penalty is hard to believe - for us it was very hard to take. But it was not
just the penalty; we also had the sending off to compound it. While I can't
say too much about it, I'm really gutted for the players and the fans who
have come down here, because they haven't had value for money."
[Source:
Wrexham FC - click here for more] |
|
Other Match Reports |
Wrexham Dragons: Final Whistle
Podcast
BBC:
MK Dons 2-1 Wrexham
MK Dons FC: MK Dons 2 Wrexham 1
TEAMtalk: Platt strike sees off Dragons
Wales
on Sunday: Hill's chill for Reds
Wrexham FC: MK Dons 2 Wrexham 1
Wrexham MAD: MK Dons 2 Wrexham 1 |
League 2 Results |
Chester 0 Rochdale
1 (Friday)
Shrewsbury 2 Peterborough 1 (Friday)
Accrington Stanley 1 Torquay 0
Bristol Rovers 2 Notts County 0
Bury 1 Macclesfield 1
Darlington 1 Hereford 0
Grimsby 1 Swindon 0
Lincoln City 1 Barnet 0
Mansfield 1 Boston United 2
Milton Keynes Dons 2 Wrexham 1
Stockport 3 Hartlepool 3
Wycombe 0 Walsall 0
|
League 2 Table |
|
|
PLD
|
GD
|
PTS
|
1 |
Hartlepool |
38 |
21 |
75 |
2 |
Walsall |
38 |
28 |
72 |
3 |
Milton Keynes Dons |
38 |
14 |
70 |
4 |
Lincoln City |
38 |
15 |
67 |
5 |
Swindon |
37 |
15 |
67 |
6 |
Stockport |
37 |
14 |
63 |
7 |
Wycombe |
37 |
11 |
58 |
8 |
Darlington |
38 |
4 |
57 |
9 |
Shrewsbury |
34 |
19 |
52 |
10 |
Peterborough |
38 |
3 |
52 |
11 |
Grimsby |
38 |
-15 |
50 |
12 |
Mansfield |
38 |
1 |
49 |
13 |
Bristol Rovers |
36 |
0 |
49 |
14 |
Hereford |
38 |
-4 |
49 |
15 |
Notts County |
38 |
-2 |
48 |
16 |
Chester |
38 |
-2 |
47 |
17 |
Rochdale |
36 |
9 |
46 |
18 |
Barnet |
37 |
-12 |
45 |
19 |
Bury |
37 |
-14 |
39 |
20 |
Accrington Stanley |
38 |
-13 |
38 |
21 |
Macclesfield |
38 |
-17 |
38 |
22 |
Boston United |
38 |
-25 |
38 |
23 |
Wrexham |
37 |
-26 |
35 |
24 |
Torquay |
38 |
-24 |
29 |
|
Next Game |
Bristol
Rovers (a),
Coca Cola League 2
Saturday 24
March 2007, Kick Off @ 15:00 |
|