By Mark Currie, Daily Post
09 December 2005
WREXHAM
manager Denis Smith is expecting a positive reaction from his players against
Notts County tomorrow following his mild criticism of the overall team
performance in the wake of Tuesday's 4-1 victory over Mansfield Town.
But his determination to improve standards of play at the Racecourse has also
fuelled his burning resentment of the display by the match officials at Boston
United almost a fortnight ago.
The Dragons went down 2-1 at York Street with Smith insisting that referee Paul
Melin and his assistants cost them at least a point and possibly all three.
He believes Julian Joachim was offside before scoring Boston's opening goal and
that Melin should have given his side a penalty, claiming that video footage of
the game was conclusive in both instances.
"The lads here know I wasn't happy with some aspects of the game on Tuesday but
at least I get the opportunity to discuss that with them and hope that they
respond to what I've told them," he said yesterday.
"But I'm still mad as hell about what was plain bad refereeing at Boston because
that cost us three extra points we should have had in the bag.
"Unfortunately I don't get the opportunity to discuss with referees the things
that they do wrong and I can only hope that other people do that."
The Racecourse boss, who expects to have an unchanged squad on duty tomorrow
despite a few knocks and bruises, said too many of his players - particularly in
midfield - had not been at their best against Mansfield.
"You have to give them some credit because they came here on the back of a good
run of results and their confidence was high," he added..
"Nevertheless I didn't feel we responded to the challenge too well in many
aspects of the performance.
"But no-one could complain about the quality of our goals. Lee McEvilly is
looking better with every game he plays, Jon Walters deserved his goal simply
for everything else he does for the team and Mark Jones, who was otherwise
quiet, got another goal.
"We have some big lads in the team now and I was pleased that Danny Williams
capitalised on that from a set-piece because it means all departments of the
team are contributing goals and that they are coming from both inside and
outside the penalty area."
Wrexham's reserve team have progressed to the quarter-finals of the Pontins
League Cup following their 1-1 draw at Bradford City on Wednesday night.
They will be joined in the last eight by Shrewsbury Town after an amazing round
of qualifiers in which each of the games involving the four-strong group ended
in draws. Wrexham finished top on goals scored thanks to an earlier 3-3 draw
with the Gay Meadow club.