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Match Report |
Wrexham’s long and forgettable season is finally
coming to the end with the inevitable consequence of non-league football
for the next campaign after the comprehensive 3-0 defeat at local rivals
Shrewsbury.
Just like at the MK Dons in midweek, more comical defending gifted the
home side an early goal and Shrewsbury never looked back from their
seventh minute advantage to record their first win in sixteen attempts.
The home side went on to score two further second half goals to leave
them on the verge of safety but Wrexham are now making plans for the
Blue Square Premier after falling nine points adrift of safety with only
four games to play.
It was another afternoon to forget for the 1,000+ travelling support
with the justifiable anger at the end as Wrexham rarely competed against
a side that were really not much better themselves.
The big difference was up front; the Shrewsbury pairing of Marc Pugh and
Dave Hibert kept the Wrexham defence on their toes all afternoon but the
Wrexham front three of Michael Proctor, Matty Done and Drewe Broughton
offered nothing in reply.
The men behind them were not much better as Wrexham failed to compete in
all areas of the pitch and the last half hour of the game was basically
a performance of a side that were just going through the motions.
Brian Little made four changes to the starting line up with Gareth
Evans, Steve Evans, Chris Llewellyn and Stuart Nicholson all making way.
In came Simon Spender, Sam Aiston, Matty Done and Michael Proctor but
none of them were able to prevent the defensive howler that gifted
Shrewsbury a seventh minute advantage.
True, the referee should have brought back play after the home side took
a free kick whilst the ball was rolling, but Gavin Ward’s suicidal run
to the edge of the area was matched by Richard Hope’s failure to deal
with a deep free kick, and Kevin McIntyre took advantage to head the
ball into the empty net.
Wrexham did respond when Proctor headed Done’s free kick wide of the
back post but it was the home side that were on top as they stretched
the exposed Wrexham defence at every opportunity.
Wrexham did not help themselves as Neil Taylor’s attempted clearance
ended up underneath his own cross bar but the pressure was relived as
Shrewsbury were penalised for a foul on the nervous Ward.
Shrewsbury should have added a second after the half hour mark when the
Wrexham defence twice struggled to clear and Tierney went close with a
shot that just failed to hit the target.
Ward then resorted to punching crosses that he should have claimed but
Wrexham did edge themselves back into the game towards the end of the
opening period.
Chances were half at best with Marc Williams having a long range shot
that at least had Bevan diving to save but Wrexham were never in real
danger of threatening the Shrewsbury goal.
Drewe Broughton – who must be the only player to commit as many fouls
without going to ground– deservedly ended up in the book after referee
Lee Mason finally ran out of pertinence with his persistent
infringement.
There were still six minutes left in the half when Broughton ended up in
the book and Wrexham created some half chances but Proctor was denied
following a good shot on the turn and Marc Williams saw another effort
from the edge of the area well saved by Bevan.
Wrexham continued where they left off at the start of the second half
and Broughton went close when he turned on the edge of the area and
flashed a shot wide of the post.
Wrexham’s positive start was predictably undone as they gifted
Shrewsbury a second goal when Tierney was afforded too much space when
he received back his throw and measured a cross to the far post where
Darren Moss was left unmarked to head home.
Steve Leslie should have added a third for the home side when he back
healed the ball past Spender, skipped past a couple of more static
Wrexham defenders before losing balance and firing what was in the end a
poor shot that Ward struggled to save.
Wrexham responded when Aiston found space down the right and Neil
Roberts looked as if he was going to convert his cross to the near post
but a Shrewsbury defender managed to deflect the ball behind for a
corner.
Shrewsbury managed to head the resulting corner behind but Wrexham
should have scored from the next one when Hope headed back for Roberts
to see his shot blocked on the line and Broughton saw his resulting shot
go the same way.
With Wrexham chasing the game, gaps started to appear at the back but it
was a canyon in the Wrexham back line as Hibbert sent substitute
Constable clean through down the heart of the Wrexham defence that was
ended when Bolland clipped his heels in the box.
The resulting penalty and rebound was saved by Ward but with the Wrexham
players were still static on the edge of the area, Constable converted
the rebound from close range.
It was now all over bar the shouting for Wrexham with Danny Williams
replacing Marc Williams after Paul Hall had come on for Sam Aiston
before Shrewsbury had scored their third of the afternoon.
Wrexham should have pulled one goal back with fifteen minutes left but
following an amazing sequence of events; Roberts, Broughton and Proctor
were denied before Broughton headed Hall’s cross over the bar.
Shrewsbury should have added a second in the last five minutes when the
Wrexham defence lost all shape and substitute Humphrey found himself in
acres of space but was denied by a good save from Ward at the expense of
a corner.
With the damage already done, Shrewsbury just ran down the clock and
Wrexham are now waiting for the final nail to be driven into our
Football League coffin. |
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Match Reaction |
| Brian Little: "They're a good bunch of lads,
they're honest at heart, but today they lost heart. That was the big
thing which shone through. We almost ran out of words in the dressing
room after the game today because it's no longer time for words, it's
time for actions. A great hero and a great friend of mine, Joey Jones,
came into the changing room and says the things he said to them-and he
was right to say it to them, I was delighted he said them. He wasn't
very complimentary to the players but it's true. It's a sad day, it's a
bad day. We're virtually down there now and the players really didn't do
themselves justice, individually or collectively. There were a few of
them went into their shell when the first goal went in. They've let
themselves down today which is disappointing as individually I've a lot
of time for them, but it's my job now to sort the team out. Three
years of losing games is not enjoyable. I've just had a few months of it
and I've not enjoyed it. It's been horrible. I think the last twenty
minutes today were genuinely the worst twenty minutes of my career.
Standing there on the sidelines looking at your team knowing they're not
going to get anything out of it. and the chances are you're relegated
out of the Football League is probably the worst twenty minutes of my
career." [Source:
Wrexham FC - Click here for more]
Paul Simpson: "I'm delighted with the win; I thought the signs
were beginning to show on Tuesday at Morecambe that the lads were
beginning to understand what we want. I'm not going to say that all the
problems have gone away because they haven't, there are still things
that need addressing and dealing with but I'm delighted with the
attitude, the performance but more importantly the result today. When
you are at home you have to get on the front foot and be as positive as
you can. We were positive at Morecambe but I wanted more today and
wanted us to be really aggressive and take the game to them. When Kevin
McIntyre got the early goal it gives everyone a lift and that knocked
the stuffing out of Wrexham, we then went on from there on."
[Source:
Shrewsbury Town FC - Click here for more] |
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