Wrexham 3 vs 3 Northwich Victoria

Wrexham vs Northwich V

	3 - 3
Date: 27/01/2009		Venue: Racecourse Ground (WRX)
Attendance: 3722		Referee: T Harrington

Once again leaving the racecourse I am left thinking how poor the referee was today, they get worse every game and I am now convinced that they are all determined to ensure that Wrexham stay in this league because how any referee can not even award a card when the last man fouls when the striker is through on goal and only award a free kick is a disgrace. We are then denied a penalty from the resulting free kick when it is handled by the Northich Victoria defender and the reaction of both sets of players tells you it was a definite penalty.

With Dean Saunders not at The Racecourse tonight, instead at the bedside of his seriously ill father then you would have thought the players would have wanted to put on a good show against a team who were thrashed 3-0 last Saturday, without a ground and rock bottom of The Blue Square Premier but it didn`t happen and it is a huge blow to lose 2 points to a team like this.

A six goal thriller at The Racecourse saw Wrexham's promotion hopes take a serious blow as the league's bottom side scored three times from corners kicks to take a point back to Cheshire.

As Wrexham looked to put pressure on the leaders Dean Saunders made two changes for the visit of the league's bottom side Northwich Victoria. Steve Evans replaced the suspended Westwood and Nathan Woolfe started with Ryan Flynn dropping to the bench.

On a chilly North Wales evening Northwich kicked off attacking the Kop end of The Racecourse. In a high tempo first half Wrexham dominated territorially but could not break down a stubborn Northwich side. Wrexham made a bright start with Jeff Louis and Jon Brown involved several times early on as Wrexham gained good possession down the right flank.

On 5 minutes, Vics keeper Ryan Clarke made a fine save from Marc Williams, the Wrexham striker getting up from a strong challenge from Robinson to curl a low shot towards the bottom corner but the keeper saved well low down. Wrexham were well on top as Northwich struggled to get the ball out of their own half in the opening ten minutes.

With 10 minutes gone Northwich should have taken the lead against the run of play when Simon Grand headed over from close range as he rose unmarked from a corner. It was to be a sign of things to come.

Wrexham bounced back and Nathan Fairhurst shot straight at Clarke after a good move involving Williamson and Woolfe. Marc Williams then showed good strength and determination before firing wide from 20 yards out.

With 21 minutes gone Nathan Woolfe fired in a superb left foot free kick which eluded the four man wall beat Clarke all ends up but bounced to safety off the the bar, as it came back out he unleashed a fierce volley which hit Steve Evans and bounced to safety. Wrexham continued to play at a good tempo and Matt Crowell was booked for a challenge in midfield.

Jeff Louis was put clear by Marc Williams and was clearly tripped by Robinson, Nathan Woolfe fired in another good free kick on 27 minutes and it was clearly blocked by Jamie Stevens hand in the wall but the referee waved play on. Two lucky escapes for Northwich as Robinson could easily have been booked for the trip as well as the penalty.

Their luck continued when Simon Grand hauled down Jeff Louis on 38 minutes only two minutes after being booked for a foul on the same player. The Northwich skipper was surely fearing the worst but escaped punishment. Northwich had made one or two good breaks and Gavin Ward had to be quickly off his line to deny the lively Lee Steele as the half came to an end.

Half Time: Wrexham 0 Northwich 0

Wrexham kicked off the second half and quickly put the visitors under pressure with a great free kick from Jon Brown being tipped over the bar by Ryan Clarke. Steve Evans went close from the resultant Woolfe corner heading over with a diving effort.

Simon Grand was injured and replaced by Bailey as Northwich continued to work hard and close down space frustrating Wrexham in the process. The Vics had a good spell of pressure and on a couple of corners, the second of which exposed Wrexham's vulnerability to set pieces when Matt Bailey rose unmarked to head into the roof of the net to give the Northwich an unlikely advantage on 59 minutes.

Wrexham played their way back into the game and equalised four minutes later when Jon Brown drilled in a low free kick, which Jeff Louis met with a fierce header forcing Clarke in to a fine diving save pushing the ball on to the post, it fell nicely for Steve Evans however and he forced home the rebound from close range.

Terry Darracott standing in for the absent Dean Saunders sent on Ryan Flynn for Hathan Woolfe with 68 minutes gone and he forced Ryan Clarke in to a brave save before Marc Williams headed narrowly wide from another Jon Brown free kick.

The game was far more evenly matched in this second period but Wrexham took the lead on 78 minutes when Marc Williams gleefully slotted home from close range after Clarke had done well to save a low free kick from Jon Brown. The lead was short lived however as four minutes later Northwich equalised from another corner, an amazing scramble on the goal line saw the ball eventually forced home by Steve Robinson to send the Northwich fans wild with delight.

With six minutes left the visitors amazingly took the lead from yet another corner Matt Bailey again heading home as Wrexham's marking left a lot to be desired again. Substitute Darryn Stamp was one of six Northwich bookings on the night, he re entered the field of play without the referee's permission after realising he was wearing white shorts whilst all his colleagues were in black and nipped in to the dugout to change!

Wrexham threw on Patrick Suffo for Nathan Fairhurst as we went into an amazing seven minutes added time during which Wrexham were awarded two penalties, Marc Williams being tripped in the area and Jeff Louis' effort being well saved by Ryan Clarke to his left for the first.

The second was awarded when goal scoring hero Matt Bailey inexplicably handled a corner and this time Patrick Suffo calmly slotted the ball past Clarke who went the wrong way to equalise again for Wrexham. Jeff Louis fired a good effort wide but Mr Harrington's whistle signalled the end of an exciting game but one Wrexham could rue the loss of vital points in.

Wrexham (4-4-2): Gavin Ward, Neil Taylor, Steve Evans, Mike Williams, Sam Williamson, Jon Brown, Andy Fleming, Nathan Fairhurst (Patrick Suffo 89), Nathan Woolfe (Ryan Flynn 68), Jefferson Louis, Marc Williams
Subs: Darren Kempson, Christian Gyan, Silvio Spann.

Northwich Victoria (4-4-2): Ryan Clarke, Michael Aspin, Steve Robinson, Jamie Stevens, Simon Grand (Matt Bailey 49), Dean Lodge, Carl Murray, Matty Crowell, Lee Elam, Lee Steele (Darryn Stamp 84), Damien Reeves.
Subs: Owen Price, Jay Conroy, Dean McDonald.

Referee: T.Harrington
Attendance: 3,722
Away: 192

Bookings -
Northwich Victoria: Matt Crowell (foul), Simon Grand (foul), Dean Lodge (foul), Darryn Stamp (re-entering play without permission), Matt Bailey (handball), Lee Elam (time wasting)

Assistant Boss Terry Darracott Views

With manager Dean Saunders absent, it was left to assistant boss Terry Darracott to face the press after the topsy-turvy 3-3 draw with Northwich Victoria.

The Red Dragons recovered from both 1-0 and 3-2 down against our struggling Cheshire neighbours before Cameroonian international Patrick Suffo was coolness personified as he slotted home a penalty deep into time added on at the end of the game, after Jefferson Louis had missed from the spot just a minute or so earlier.

"To concede from three set-pieces is diabolical so it was two points lost for me," confirmed the former Everton man.

"We asked the defenders to defend and pick up men on corners, free-kicks and long-throws, but they haven't done that today; we have been done on three set-pieces.

"The keeper might have done better on the third one, and punched it clear or caught it, but from our point of view it is two points dropped.

"I'm very, very disappointed, it's two points lost.

"We are not having people getting free headers in our box, and we spoke about it at half-time. We set out who to pick up and who to mark, we have had a look at their corners and set-pieces in their last game and we expected to be able to deal with them, but we didn't do that tonight.

"From our point of view that is very disappointing, and we won't win games if we defend like that.

"Patrick scored with his last penalty but Jefferson was confident and he picked the ball up and wanted to take it but unfortunately he missed.

"Then Patrick is probably the coolest man in the stadium for his penalty.

"Even after that we still had a good chance to have won the game but we won't win a game if we defend like that.

"I don't think Gavin Ward had a save to make against Cambridge and that's the way we want to defend.

"We've let ourselves down tonight.

"I thought that the time added on was really justified because of the number of free-kicks we had against us, the number of times the game was stopped and the number oftimes their players had done down injured.

"I don't know exactly what it should have been but it had to be something like that.

"There are a lot of disappointed players in the dressing room."

THE Wrexham FC Supporters Association has posted a new edition of their Final Whistle podcast.

Visit their website at www.wrexhamfan.co.uk to hear the report from the Northwich Victoria game, featuring Terry Darracott and Patrick Suffo.

Final Whistle is published after every game and features audio reports and post-match reaction, while Dragon Talk is wrexhamfan.co.uk's own chat show.

It's uploaded every week and features previews, interviews and discussion on all the big issues at The Racecourse