Match Report |
Wrexham’s fragile confidence took
another blow as they fell to their fourth successive away defeat taking
the goals conceded to seventeen in the process.
The game was fairly even up to the first goal in the twentieth minute
but another goal two minutes later killed off Wrexham’s chances with the
third goal from hat trick hero Jon Daly ending the game as a contest in
the second half.
Wrexham made one change from the midweek defeat to Rochdale with Simon
Spender replacing Darren Ferguson to play at right back and this meant
Lee Roche playing in midfield alongside Matt Crowell.
It was rather surprising not to see Mark Jones pushed into midfield with
Josh Johnson featuring on the right but it was in the centre of the park
that Wrexham lost the game with both Roche and Crowell over ran by their
Hartlepool counterparts.
The game was far too easy for Hartlepool as they brushed Wrexham aside
with ease and the Red Dragons only managed to register one shot on
target all afternoon when Matt Crowell’s second half free kick finally
testing the Hartlepool keeper.
The opening stages of the game were fairly even but Hartlepool did look
the team most likely with the movement from the Hartlepool front two
causing the Wrexham defence problems all afternoon.
On the other hand, on loan striker John McAliskey found it difficult to
hold the ball up at the other end and it was surprising for someone of
his build that he failed to win his fair share of headers. Chris
Llewellyn did see a lot of the ball against his former club but this
always tended to be with his back to goal on the half way line and this
limited the effectiveness of Wrexham’s attacks.
Matty Done had Wrexham’s first chance of the game following good link up
play between Mark Jones and Llewellyn with Done collecting the ball in
space in the centre of Hartlepool’s half. Done advance to the edge of
the area but he was well tracked by Darren Williams who managed to put
in a blocking tackle.
Wrexham struggled to clear a corner with quarter of an hour gone and
were almost punished when Roche could only head clear to the edge of the
area from where John Brackstone hit a volley wide of the far post.
A needless corner conceded by Spender when he failed to find Ingham with
a cushioned header back resulted in the opening goal of the game in the
twentieth minute. Wrexham allowed Hartlepool’s top scorer a free header
in the area for the corner and Jon Daly made no mistake by planting his
header into the roof of the net from twelve yards out.
Just two minutes later and the game was virtually over when poor
defending down Wrexham’s right allowed Jon Daly to score his and
Hartlepool’s second of the afternoon. Willie Boland was played in behind
the Wrexham defence and with the flag staying down he took the ball into
the area with his low cross to the edge of the six yard box was turned
in by Daly for a simple goal.
You feared for Wrexham now after they had conceded fourteen goals in
their last three away games and you sensed another hiding coming with
the Red Dragons 2-0 down with only a quarter of the game gone.
Just after the half hour mark it was almost 3-0 but Michael Ingham did
well by diving low to his right to deny a shot from Joel Porter after
the striker simply turned Danny Williams and outpaced him with a run
into the area.
Wrexham did have another opportunity when Steve Evans headed down from a
Crowell corner but McAliskey’s shot was blocked by a well organised
Hartlepool defence.
Daly should have wrapped up his hat trick before the first half ended
when the Wrexham defence were again caught out after Simon Spender
missed his clearance. This allowed Darren Williams to pick out Robson at
the pack post and his lay off to Daly was mis-kicked by the striker and
in the end it turned out to be a comfortable save for Ingham.
Denis Smith replaced Simon Spender at half time with Mike Williams
coming on at left back with Ryan Valentine switching flanks to the right
side of defence. Wrexham did fair better in the second half but it was
still Hartlepool who continued to run the show.
The first chance of the second period fell to Wrexham and it was not
surprising that it came from a set play. Steve Evans again won the
initial header for Wrexham and the ball then deflected off a Hartlepool
defender and into the arms of the underused Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.
Wrexham’s only shot on target came eleven minutes after the restart when
McAliskey was fouled twenty yards out from the Hartlepool goal. Crowell
managed to beat the wall with his free kick but the shot lacked any
power to trouble the Hartlepool keeper who made a comfortable save.
Hartlepool wrapped the game up in the sixty eighth minute following more
poor marking from a corner that allowed Daly another free header to
complete his hat trick with the ball going in off the base of the far
post.
Wrexham should have been down to ten men for the last twenty minutes
when Steve Evans caught hat trick hero Daly with a blatant elbow. This
forced Daly off and he required five stitches in his head wound but the
referee just issued a yellow card to Evans with this decision annoying
the home crowd.
Jon Newby then replaced Matty Done with some of the Wrexham players
looking on confused at the bench as the only source of pace was removed
from the team. Hartlepool also replaced Joel Porter and the game petered
out with the only incident was a booking for Ingham after he questioned
a free kick awarded against Danny Williams.
The final whistle went with the Wrexham players leaving the pitch with
their heads down and unless this run of form can be addressed it will
turn out to be a long hard winter for Wrexham fans. |
Match Reaction |
Denis Smith: "I don't think we deserved that, because
until they scored I thought we might have been edging it. After that it was
an up hill fight and while we have come out after half time and given it a
go, looking the better side again. But the third went and it was all over.
Whether it's confidence or what I don't know, but It's silly mistakes which
are costing us at the moment. We needed to get the third goal, but once that
went against us, I changed the system and one or two other things, but we
were clutching at straws." [Source:
Wrexham FC]
Danny Wilson: "I was delighted with the way we
approached the game. It was a very physical game but we stood our ground and
got the first goal which was very important for us. I don't think 3-0
flattered us in any way because by the end it was very comfortable for the
lads. We're going to have to keep giving him whatever we're giving him. This
has been a great test of character for him and he's come through with flying
colours - he's won me over, he's won the other players over and he's won the
fans over too." [Source:
Hartlepool United FC] |
|
Wrexham |
Starting XI:
01 |
Michael Ingham
|
14 |
Simon Spender
45' |
08 |
Danny Williams |
05 |
Steve Evans
|
03 |
Ryan Valentine |
07 |
Mark Jones |
02 |
Lee Roche |
12 |
Matt Crowell |
20 |
Matty Done
73' |
22 |
John McAliskey |
11 |
Chris Llewellyn |
Subs:
13 |
Michael Jones (GK) |
15 |
Mike Williams
45' |
17 |
Josh Johnson |
18 |
Jon Newby
73' |
21 |
Marc Williams |
Stats:
Shots on Goal: |
3 |
Shots on Target: |
1 |
Shots off Target: |
2 |
Possession: |
37% |
Fouls Conceded: |
20 |
Corners: |
2 |
Yellow Cards: |
2 |
Red Cards: |
0 |
|
Match Notes |
Venue |
Racecourse Ground |
Attendance |
4,452 |
Half Time |
Hartlepool United 2 Wrexham 0 |
Referee |
G Sutton (Lincolnshire) |
|
|