Wrexham 1

Mark Jones 15'

Barnet 1

Tressor Kandol 62'

Saturday 27 August 2006

 

Kick Off @ 15:00

Match Report
In a game that Wrexham started brightly it was Barnet who struck back in the second half to grab a well deserved equaliser after another superb long range goal from Mark Jones had given Wrexham a first half lead.

Wrexham’s performance noticeably dropped in the second half with the effects of Wednesday night taking a toll on the player’s fitness levels. Barnet even had a goal disallowed after Mike Ingham spilled a corner but the referee, who somehow booked seven players and was too whistle happy at times, disallowed it for the slightest of touches on the Wrexham keeper.

The opening stages of the game were even with neither keeper forced into action in the first quarter of an hour. The only note worthy incidents were a booking a piece with Danny Williams picking up a yellow card for Wrexham whilst Barnet’s Adam Gross ending in the book for a late challenge on Spender after the Wrexham full back skipped past him on the touchline.

Wrexham’s goal came in the sixteenth minute when Mark Jones fired in left footed from within the D but the goal was created following more good work from Chris Llewellyn. Jones picked up the ball eighteen yards out and fired a low left footed shot past the dive of Harrison into the bottom corner of the net.

Chris Llewellyn then clashed with a Barnet defender and after all the players appeared to have their say it was only the Wrexham striker who ended in the book after the delay in the game that lasted about two minutes.

Wrexham stepped up the pace and Matty Done’s left wing cross almost caught out keeper Harrison who had to back pedal and tip the ball behind for a corner that was claimed by the keeper.

Barnet’s most noticeable attack of the first half ended in Mike Ingham pulling off a superb save that even drew applause from the Barnet keeper. Barnet broke down their right from a free kick and Grazioli delivered a cross to the near post. His strike partner Kandol arrived before the Wrexham defence and he flicked the ball goalwards but Ingham somehow managed to claw it onto the far post and Simon Spender swept up before the Barnet player could pounce.

Wrexham responded with Done cutting inside of the full back but he pulled his shot wide of the far post. Then a free kick from Done was swung in but Steve Evans, who had another dominant display at the back, headed wide at the back post.

Barnet were starting to enjoy more of the play towards the end of the first period but Wrexham headed in for half time one goal up but the break allowed Barnet to reorganise with Paul Warhurst replacing Ian Hendon at right back for the second half.

The second half started in much similar fashion to its predecessor with both teams cancelling each other out with both keepers not called into action and two players ending up in the book – Anthony Charles for the Bees after he collided with Neil Roberts and then it was the Wrexham skipper’s turn following a late challenge.

With Barnet improving as the game went on you could not deny them the equaliser which came just after the hour mark. Matt Crowell lost his footing in midfield and with him out of position the Wrexham defence lost his shape as Barnet broke down the right. Ryan Valentine was outnumbered and Cogan whipped a ball in across the six yard box for Kandol to head in from close range at the far post.

Barnet were unlucky not to take the lead four minutes later when they again cut down Wrexham’s left playing some decent flowing football. Cogan this time linked up with Puncheon with a delightful through ball that he lifted over the Wrexham defence and the midfielder picked out Kandol who was again free at the back post but this time his header struck the woodwork and Wrexham cleared the danger.

Wrexham were now under the cosh and a needless corner conceded by Shaun Pejic ended up with Barnet having the ball in the net when Grazioli swept the ball home after Ingham dropped the corner but a very generous refereeing decision chalked the goal off for the slightest of touches on the Wrexham keeper.

Denis Smith introduced all three substitutes with a quarter of an hour left and this move almost paid dividends when Newby forced Harrison into a rare second half save after he was picked out by Neil Roberts in the side the right side of the box. Newby took the shot on first time and the ball was heading for the top corner of the near post until Harrison tipped the ball behind for a corner.

There were only a couple chances before the end of the game and the first fell to Wrexham when Llewellyn got free down the left side of the area but he over hit his cross and the ball evaded everybody at the far post. At the other end of the pitch, Barnet went close but Bailey’s header from a corner went narrowly wide of the far post, as the game ended a fair 1-1 draw.

Match Reaction

Denis Smith: "We played well in the first half but the effect of three games in six days took its toll in the second period. We'd had a tough local derby and then a game against a Championship side in midweek, even players like Danny Williams were looking 'leggy' and he is one who can normally keep on going. So I decided to change it and Jon Newby had a good chance near the end but their keeper made an excellent save. It's frustrating because, with the Shrewsbury game now off, it means we will have a false position in the league table after next weekend. It's great that we have players being called-up to play for Wales, the downside is that we have to then play catch-up. I would much prefer to have the games spread out but we just have to get on with it. When we last won promotion we were able to win our games in hand. Last season we didn't and so missed out on the play-offs." [Source: Wrexham FC]

 

Danny Williams: "We started very, very well, closing people down, and we got the goal. But then they had a bit of a lift and they got back into the game. In the end, we both deserved the 1-1 draw. I wasn't happy with my own performance out there today, I felt a bit leggy. We're all a bit tired today, we've had a hard week with Chester last weekend and Sheffield Wednesday only three days ago. There was too much space, and then after we had scored, we just sat back far too much. I don't know why that happens, it just does, that's the game. Every game is different. It's difficult, but we're going to get games like the one we had today. But we carried on and we haven't lost, it was a 1-1 draw, but we should really be winning games like this, everyone knows that." [Source: Wrexham FC - click here for more]

 

Paul Fairclough: "I thought the last 15 - 20 minutes of the first half we were beginning to dominate the game and took that into the second half, and played some good football. I can't see anything wrong with the goal that we scored from the corner, but having said that I have got no complaints over the result of the game, as any neutral watching would have said a point apiece was fair.". [Source: Barnet FC]

Wrexham

Starting XI:

01 Michael Ingham
14 Simon Spender 76'
04 Shaun Pejic
05 Steve Evans
03 Ryan Valentine
07 Mark Jones
08 Danny Williams 76'
12 Matt Crowell
20 Matty Done 76'
23 Neil Roberts
11 Chris Llewellyn

Subs:

13 Michael Jones (GK)
15 Mike Williams 76'
16 Levi Mackin 76'
17 Josh Johnson
18 Jon Newby 76'

Stats:

Shots on Goal: 5
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 3
Possession: %
Fouls Conceded: 13
Corners: 4
Yellow Cards: 3
Red Cards: 0

Barnet

Starting XI:

18 Lee Harrison
04 Ian Hendon 45'
06 Anthony Charles
03 Simon King
05 Adam Gross
23 Barry Cogan
02 Nick Bailey
08 Dean Sinclair
20 Jason Puncheon
09 Hiuliano Grazioli 77'
10 Tresor Kandol

Subs:

01 Ross Flitney (GK)
07 Liam Hatch
12 Jason Norville 77'
15 Andy Hessenthaler
16 Paul Warhurst 45'

Stats:

Shots on Goal: 5
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 3
Possession: %
Fouls Conceded: 16
Corners: 8
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 0

Match Notes
Venue Racecourse Ground
Attendance 4,304
Half Time Wrexham 1 Barnet 0
Referee A Woolmer (Northamptonshire)

Other Match Reports

Barnet FC: Wrexham 1-1 Barnet; Match Report

BBC: Wrexham 1-1 Barnet

BeesBeesBees: Wrexham 1-1 Barnet

TEAMtalk: Honours even at the Racecourse Ground

Wales on Sunday: Kandol burns bright against Dragons

Wrexham FC: Wrexham 1 Barnet 1

Wrexham MAD: Wrexham 1 Barnet 1

League 2 Results

Accrington Stanley 1 Rochdale 1
Boston United 0 Milton Keynes Dons 1
Bristol Rovers 1 Shrewsbury 0
Bury 3 Grimsby 0
Hereford 3 Hartlepool 1
Macclesfield 0 Wycombe 2
Mansfield 2 Lincoln City 4
Notts County 0 Peterborough 0
Swindon 2 Stockport 0
Torquay 2 Chester 2
Walsall 1 Darlington 0
Wrexham 1 Barnet 1

League 2 Table
   
PLD
GD
PTS
1 Swindon 5 6 15
2 Walsall 5 6 13
3 Milton Keynes Dons 5 4 12
4 Peterborough 5 6 11
5 Lincoln City 5 4 11
6 Wycombe 5 5 10
7 Wrexham 5 4 9
8 Hereford 5 2 9
9 Notts County 5 2 9
10 Shrewsbury 5 5 8
11 Torquay 5 1 8
12 Chester 5 1 7
13 Darlington 5 1 6
14 Mansfield 5 -1 6
15 Bristol Rovers 5 -4 6
16 Accrington Stanley 5 -3 5
17 Barnet 5 0 4
18 Grimsby 5 -6 4
19 Bury 5 -4 3
20 Boston United 5 -5 3
21 Hartlepool 5 -5 2
22 Stockport 5 -6 2
23 Rochdale 5 -4 1
24 Macclesfield 5 -9 1

Next Game

Swindon Town (h), Coca Cola League 2

Saturday 09 September 2006, Kick Off @ 15:00