| Wrexham will be hoping to bounce back from the 3-0
reversal at Dagenham last weekend when we entertain a Brentford side who
are without a manager after parting company with Terry Butcher in
midweek. Our defeat last weekend at Dagenham
ended a week on the road for Wrexham, and a return of four points from
three away games was not enough to keep us out of the relegation zone.
The game also ended a run of four leagues game without
a defeat, whereas Brentford have lost their last five league games
without scoring and also
went out of the FA Cup to Luton Town.
Included in this run of defeats is a 7-0 reversal at
Peterborough when the Bees found themselves four down by half time in
their last away game.
Brentford had started the season in positive fashion,
occupying a play off position early on but it has been a downward spiral
since then with two straight wins around the turn of October the only
victories in their last twelve games.
As a result, the pressure was too much on Butcher with
fans recently chanting the name of former manager, Martin Allen, who
attended the recent cup defeat to Luton last month.
This defeat to Grimsby last weekend has left Brentford occupying 19th spot
with a return of 19 points from their 19 games and are four points ahead
of us in the table.
Goal scoring has been the main problem for the Bees
this season and they have failed to find the back of the net on eight
occasions, which is the worst record in the division.
Lee Thorpe is the top scorer this season with just
four goals, his last one coming seven games a go in the last victory
at Bradford.
Recent Encounters:
Our last game against Brentford was at the end of the
2005/05 season with the Bees 2-1 victory at the Racecourse confirming
our relegation that season following our ten point deduction.
We had taken an early lead from an own goal but second
half strikes from Isaiah Rankin and a last minute strike from Scott
Fitzgerald confirmed our fait that season.
Brentford completed the double over us that season
with Kevin O'Connor scoring the only goal of the game late on at Griffin
Park.
Our last victory against Brentford came the season
before when we completed the double over the Bees but they lead the
head-to-head with 19 wins compared to our 10 and there have been 9 draws
in the 38 league games between the two sides.
Team News:
Wrexham have no fresh injury worries from last weekend
and Brian Little's options have been further boosted with the return of
midfielders Silvio Spann and Mark Jones. Gareth
Evans has also been added to the 19 man squad with Danny Williams,
Eifion Williams and Juan Ugarte the only absentees.
Caretaker manager Andy Scott is without defender John
Mackie along with midfielder John Moushino for Brentford's first game
following Terry Butcher's dismissal last week.
Club captain Mackie is suspended for this game whilst midfielder
Moushino has been ruled out with a knee injury. Elsewhere in League Two:
As well as our game against Brentford, the other big game
down the bottom of the table sees Grimsby entertain bottom placed
Mansfield with the Mariners separated from the Stags by just four
points.
Elsewhere, Lincoln, who are on the same number of
points as us, are at home to Barnet whilst Dagenham travel to a
Shrewsbury side who are six points adrift of the final play off
position.
At the top end of the table, the game of the day in
League Two sees league leaders Mk Dons travel to second placed
Peterborough who are four points adrift of the Dons. |
