Wrexham Evening Leader

Plan B pays off for Denis

By RICHARD WILLIAMS

27 December 2005

Denis SmithDENIS SMITH today admitted that his gamble had paid off.

The Wrexham boss saw his side overcome Rochdale 2-1 at The Racecourse yesterday - a result that moved the Reds' into sixth position in the League Two table.

After a below par first half performance, in which Wrexham had managed to get back on level terms following a controversial penalty converted by Matty Crowell, Smith decided to make an interval change.

Dean Bennett replaced on-loan striker Robbie Foy, allowing Darren Ferguson and Mark Jones to play in more attacking roles, and it was the Reds' skipper who got the winner in a much improved second half showing.

Smith said the decision to make the change was a gamble, leaving him short of strike options on the ' bench, but he was delighted with the outcome.

"People talk about a game of two halves and you won't get one more than that. First half, I thought we were extremely poor, Rochdale were far better and we were fortunate to go in level," Smith said today.

"But in the second half, I took a gamble because I changed the system and it worked. We gave them problems in the second half, were on top and Darren came up with the goal.

"With taking Robbie Foy off at half-time, it left me a bit short if anything else had gone wrong. That was plan B, and plan C involves Robbie so I could have been struggling so I am pleased that it worked.

"The system we changed to gets Darren and Mark further forward. One of those got the goal and Mark gave them all sorts of problems.

"It is still in its development stage. We have had a couple of sessions on the training ground but I was not expecting to bring it out quite so early. But it proved that it could work."

Dennis Lawrence was controversially adjudged to have been pushed in the area as Wrexham were given the opportunity to equalise from the penalty spot. A chance which Crowell duly converted.

And Smith, agreeing the penalty could have been harsh, said it was satisfying to be on the right side of a crucial decision: "It was not one of our more convincing wins but we have been very unfortunate in our last two away games where I thought we deserved to win but decisions went against us — decisions possibly went for us yesterday," said Smith.

"From where I was I would not have been happy. But I have been unhappy in other games with decisions and the video has proved me right.

"It got us back into the game. Apart from the first five minutes we were never at it first half, their front three gave us all sorts of problems. But we changed it and I feel we controlled most of the second half."

Crowell, in the absence of striker Lee McEvilly, has taken over the role of penalty taker and he has now converted from the spot in the last two matches.

And Smith added: "I thought Matty had an extremely good second half and he stuck his penalty away well. Lee McEvilly will be going mad. That would have put Lee on nine goals - if he could have finished them!"

Wrexham now face rivals Chester City in a noon row,, and City's defeat at Cheltenham meant Wrexham have now gone 'above their rivals for the first time this season, but Smith is just focused on the Reds being in the promotion frame in May.

"Is that the first time we have gone above Chester this season? Chester have had a great season according to the papers and we have had a bad season. But we have got a long way to go, added Smith.

"The timing is great as long as we are still there after tomorrow, and still there at the end of the sear son. If we above the majority at the end of the season I am not bothered, as long as we get there."
 


All set for the big derby battle

Keith CurleKEITH CURLE is looking forward to the magic of a Chester-Wrexham derby tomorrow, writes DENNIS WALL

The Blues boss is keen to put the bad taste of yesterday's 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham behind him and focus on tomorrow's 12 noon shoot-out at the Saunders Honda Stadium.

Curie said: "It's a massive game for everyone concerned tomorrow with bragging rights up for grabs.

"I've been lucky enough to have been involved in derby matches, but I see tomorrow's game as big as the Manchester derby.

"I think the form book goes out of the window for tomorrow's game - it's all about Chester against Wrexham.

"The derby match was mentioned after our defeat at Cheltenham - we're going to go out against Wrexham with our heads held high. We know we made a few wrong decisions, but now we're going to learn from them.

"The Wrexham match provides us with a great opportunity to bounce back in front of a full house.

"I don't think it matters if the game is played at 7 or 9pm - Chester fans would still turn up in big numbers."

"The Chester-Wrexham match means a huge amount to everyone at Chester City Football Club - it is a big game.

"I'm relishing the game because it will be first time I will see a full house at Chester and I want to be part of it."