Double blow as matches postponed

By Mark Currie, Daily Post

03/12/02

THE stormy weather has put paid to two Wrexham matches in the space of 24 hours, with yesterday's scheduled Avon Insurance League visit to Stoke City and the third round FA Youth Cup clash against Manchester City 24 hours earlier both called off.

The youngsters, whose match was due to be played at Hyde United's Ewan Fields ground, will try again tomorrow, weather permitting, and Racecourse manager Denis Smith will also be hoping for an improvement in conditions closer to home.

High winds and squally showers in Wrexham yesterday confined his players to indoor activity at the beginning of eight days' preparation for an LDV Vans Trophy quarter-final at Carlisle United next Tuesday.

"The players have been working in the gym, doing weights and a few running exercises," said the Dragons' boss. "There's not a lot you can do in terms of ballwork in this wind and in any event I believe fitness levels here are higher than at a lot of other clubs.

"Much of that is down to the work we've been doing with the North East Wales Institute and a lot of credit must also go to Kevin Russell, who has not always been the most popular person here after the work he's made them do."

Central-defender Brian Carey, who suffered a recurrence of an Achilles tendon strain during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Hull City, together with midfielders Paul Barrett (tight hamstring) and Jim Whitley (illness) were all missing yesterday, but should be fit by next week.

Darren Ferguson will be out of the December 13 second division visit to Brunton Park after picking up his fifth caution of the season at the weekend. He becomes only the second Dragons player this season to be suspended, following the red card Carlos Edwards collected in the 2-2 draw with Bury at the end of September.

Smith said he was pleased with the disciplinary improvement so far this year. "We are currently second in the third division fair play league so the disciplinary record is much better than it was last season," he added.

"Having said that, it's easier to avoid disciplinary problems when the team is playing well and most of the bookings have been for tackles, rather than dissent, so that's a positive for us.

"We are a more competitive team, though, and contrary to what many onservers may have thought, people can't kick us out of games any more, as might have been the case in the past."