Wrexham 2-0 U's: Tinker Man wrecks 'em
Posted on: Sun 25 Jan 2009
Thursday 22nd January 2009 - Wrexham 2-0 U's: Tinker Man wrecks 'em
Setanta's coverage of Conference football may be as variable as that of any other television company - do we really have to suffer interminable betting updates and the blinkered blathering of Paul Parker? - but it does have its moments. One highlight is when it gives the opposing managers a tactics board with magnetic counters and gets them to introduce their team selection and explain their tactical masterplan for the game ahead.
Wrexham's Dean Saunders made his presentation with trademark tongue in cheek, introducing each of his players in turn with "...he's a good player... he's a good player... he's a good player...' and climaxing with his front two: "...and they're great players!"
Gary Brabin was charged with explaining yet another radical change in formation and revealed his own rather muddled thinking with his presentation of a "narrow middle three, and Robbie Willmott gives us width." Given that Robbie was one of that middle three, one can only surmise how confused the teenager was when charged with not only playing in a narrow midfield but doubling as a winger at the same time...
The Setanta people love their stats (who doesn't?) and they were not slow to remind us, at crushingly regular intervals, that Wrexham had only lost one out of thirteen league games under Saunders while United had failed to win any of their previous ten away games in the BSP. We were also regaled with the insights of Our Gary's old mate, 'Snods', aka Ian (or was it Glynn?) Snodin, to which one could only respond, why isn't his nickname 'Snoddy'?
Although the hosts had in fact drawn their last three matches, their only team change was an injury-enforced switch of right-backs. United fans, however, were astonished to learn that after the stunning, revelatory success of Saturday's bold switch of formation to wing-backs, in which every player had seemed so comfortable, Our Gary had committed the cardinal sin of not only changing a winning side, but tearing it to pieces.
Out went Rory McAuley, Josh Coulson and Chris Holroyd, all so impressive against Woking, and in came the returning hero, Scott Rendell, Robbie Willmott and, back from suspension, Dan Gleeson. Our Gary seems to have a weakness for 4-3-3, so Gleeson took his place in a flat back four, Rendell partnered Danny Crow up front with Mark Beesley tucked in behind them, and Willmott joined Daryl McMahon and Ben Farrell in that narrow midfield three. Now young Robbie may be a promising prospect, and has produced some good displays on the wing and up front, but to throw him in to an unfamiliar role against the BSP's form team, while apparently expecting him to perform two functions at once, seemed positively perverse.
So after having torn Woking apart with glorious flying wing play from McAuley and Anthony Tonkin at the weekend, the team was now charged with playing the complete opposite, a narrow, wingless formation which looked about as likely to fly as a penguin with a hernia. Harrumph.
Early exchanges were inconclusive, although United's lack of width was glaringly obvious from the off as they tried to funnel everything down the middle of a soft pitch which was rapidly cutting up. Gleeson looked rusty on his return to action and was embarrassingly nutmegged in the corner by Marc Williams on 5, but his low cross could only find Danny Potter's grasping gloves.
United were enjoying the better of the possession but rarely looked like creating anything resembling a chance with it, trying to thread balls down the middle for Rendell and Crow to chase, and with Beesley also pushing up, the United players ended up getting in each other's way at times, all compressed into a small area and treading on team-mates' toes. The U's midfield was anonymous, with Willmott understandably looking a little lost, while of the full-backs only Tonkin occasionally got forward in support.
For the division's supposed form team, Wrexham were surprisingly unimpressive, failing to exert any sort of sustained pressure on their visitors (who hadn't won away in the league since August, the commentary helpfully reminded us), and it was against the run of play when they gained a free-kick on 14 when Tonkin felled Williams. Jon Brown, a right-winger on loan from Cardiff, missed the target comfortably from 25 yards.
The visitors continued trying to thread passes to the front men down the centre of the pitch, to no avail, and veteran keeper Gavin Ward's most worrying moment in the early stages was via a misdirected back-header from Marc Williams, but he leapt to one side to pick it from the air before it could fly past him into the vacant goal.
First corner went to the hosts on 22, dealt with decisively by the United back line, but they did not cover themselves with so much glory three minutes later. Brown advanced on goal down the right channel towards a crowded box, no-one thought to close him down, and from the edge of the box he let fly with a speculative shot which deflected off the back of the shin of United's nearest player, Tonkin, to spin past a leaden-footed Potter into the far corner. Soft: 1-0.
With much irony, the U's came their closest to scoring a couple of minutes later courtesy of a - gasp! - cross from out wide. Willmott's delivery was superb, his ball curling low into the box, and Rendell lunged in under pressure from Ashley Westwood; the merest touch would probably have deflected it in, but somehow everyone missed it and it flew narrowly wide of the far post. I guess it was a bit much to expect Robbie to score from a cross twice inside a week.
A ticker along the bottom of the screen told us that the match winning odds had changed to make Wrexham even hotter favourites - well I never, who'd have thought - but the chance did not herald a brave new dawn for United, who continued to quite literally plough the same futile furrow down the middle. Beesley screwed a shot wide on 28, but the contest began to slide Wrexham's way as they grew in confidence against toothless opposition.
They were able to create precious little up front either, though, despite the presence of the journeyman's journeyman, Jefferson Louis, who always seems to score against United, although Tonkin did very well to acrobatically head Ryan Flynn's cross away under pressure from the big man on 37.
Things started to get niggly shortly after as Phil Bolland and Andy Fleming both lunged in with boots raised for a ball on halfway and the normally unflappable U's centre-back reacted by attempting to seize a terrified-looking Fleming by the throat. Thankfully ref Jock Waugh (great name, mate) took a sensible view and merely showed them both yellow after awarding the free-kick to United. Mr Parker thought Bolland was the 'naughty' one, but then he doesn't seem to have had a positive word to say about the U's since he began his mediocre punditry career.
McMahon sent a disappointing free-kick straight into Ward's arms and Flynn blasted over at the other end before a distinctly underwhelming half between two very ordinary sides dribbled to a close. United had not won a single corner (to Wrexham's three), hardly surprisingly since they had barely used the flanks all night; surely Our Gary could see what was wrong and would take steps to put it right?
Sadly he did not, making no changes either in tactics or personnel for part two despite the system's abject failure so far. 'Team with no wings will never fly into blue sky of creativity.' - Confucius (Palmeiras and Brazil, 1984-1989, Garforth Town 2001).
United did at least force two corners in the first five minutes of the second half, Rendell looping a header into Ward's hands, then the U's number 9 tumbled in the area under challenge from Williams, but the penalty shout did not look overly convincing.
The hosts responded with a rasping shot from Nathan Fairhurst on 52, which Potter initially fumbled but recovered to clutch before anyone could pounce. The U's huffed and puffed but continued to try to thread camels through needle's eyes up front, starving two in-form strikers of service, although Willmott increasingly drifted out wide and United began to concentrate on playing through him, at last recognising an alternative prong of attack. Just before the hour Our Gary finally admitted his mistake and introduced Felino Jardim in place of the unfortunate Crow and went to 4-4-2, still not the winning formation of Saturday but at least an admission that width was desperately needed if his team were to salvage anything against a still ordinary looking host side.
Sod's Law instantly kicked in and Wrexham doubled their lead within a minute of the change. Sam Williamson crossed from the left, Tonkin could only head it upwards, Wayne Hatswell's second header only reached the edge of the box and Fairhurst fired it back in; Williams tried to control, Hatswell stuck his foot in but could only deflect it off Bolland's shins to the lurking Louis, who had the simplest task of tucking home past the helpless Potter from eight yards for yet another goal against United. Softer: 2-0.
The tetchiness count began to rise again, especially when Louis tumbled theatrically in the box to no interest from Oor Jock, and after some all-in wrestling between Williams and Hatswell, the latter was harshly punished with a free-kick and protested so vehemently that he was booked. Two minutes later McMahon joined him for a scything tackle on Fleming that took more man than ball.
United's disappointing midfield simply seemed to lack the drive or will to push their side back into the game, and with Jardim struggling to make any sort of impact, Rendell and Beesley remained bereft of service. Sam Aiston replaced Flynn for the hosts on 75, and three minutes later it could easily have been three-nil when Brown let fly with a screamer from the corner of the box that Potter tipped superbly onto the bar.
More subs followed with ten minutes to go, Chris Holroyd on for Beesley and Silvio Spann replacing Neil Taylor for the Welshmen, and four minutes later Holroyd created his team's best chance by far with a splendid run down the right and cross into the middle which found Jardim arriving unmarked six yards out. With all the goal at his mercy, his header was dreadful, soaring well over the top when anything on target would surely have made it two-one. You see, Messrs Zaki and Bent, we lower league types can miss sitters that Harry Redknapp's missus would have put away, too.
Ward was booked for protesting pointlessly that Holroyd had been offside in the build-up, but the game was up for United, whose creative juices had dried up. McMahon failed to test Ward with another feeble free-kick, another corner came to nothing and the hosts wasted time by introducing Nathan Woolfe for Louis in added time.
There was just time for another misdirected McMahon free-kick - does this guy overhit everything? - then a thoroughly underwhelming contest was over. Every member of the amber army, in Wrexham and in front of tellies around the country, could see where United had gone wrong, except apparently Our Gary, whose post-match comments made no mention of the abject failure of his wingless system and why on Earth he had seen fit to change a winning formula so radically for no apparent reason. Excuses about being a young, learning manager simply do not wash; the guy has been in professional football for 25 years. Must do better.
The result was all the more frustrating for the opposition's mediocrity; they had been made presents of both goals and had created nothing else of note bar the shot that had hit the bar. Saunders' comment that this was his side's best performance under him was therefore all the more surprising, and says all you need to know about the deeply average standard of this league if that was the case. United had simply failed to ask them even the most basic of questions.
The question now is: what happens next? Oxford may be 'big' opposition on Thursday, but they have been little more than hopeless this season, except when they played United of course, and anything less than a win will be unthinkable if the U's are to have any pretensions of staying with the promotion pack. Listen to your heart, Gary, and listen to your players. Then it will be up to all of you to show that your belief, positivity, creativity and spirit matches that of your supporters. Go to it.
Statto Corner
United have now gone 11 away league games without a win, their worst run since the relegation season of 2004-05. After winning the last away match of the previous season, 1-0 at Orient, they had to wait until the last away game of the following season to win again on their travels, another 1-0 victory at Rushden. Up until then, their record had been P22, W0, D10, L12, F16, A35, including nine 2-1 defeats.
The U's have drawn one and lost three of their four televised matches this season. Last term they participated in a club record nine live TV games, winning four, drawing one and losing the other four. Their last televised win was the 2-1 second-leg playoff semi-final win over Burton.
Jefferson Louis has now scored six goals in eight matches against United: twice in four for Oxford, one in one for Stevenage, two in one for Weymouth, and one in two for Wrexham. United's 2-0 victory over Wrexham at the Abbey earlier this season was the only time they have beaten a side with Louis in it, and the only time they have stopped such a side from scoring against them.
Veteran keeper Gavin Ward also has a good record against the U's: three wins out of three with Stoke, starting in September 1999, and a win and a defeat for Wrexham. That game at the Abbey mentioned above was also the only time he has been on the losing side against us.
When sub Silvio Spann came on for Wrexham, he became the fifth member of Trinidad & Tobago's 2006 World Cup squad to face the U's in club football. Can you name the other four? They were: Shaka Hislop (Reading), Dennis Lawrence (Wrexham), Ian Cox (Bournemouth and Gillingham) and Carlos Edwards (Wrexham).
Player Ratings
Potter 6. Slow to react for Wrexham's first goal, no chance with the second, great save to prevent a third.
Gleeson 5. Looked out of touch after his suspension and contributed very little throughout.
Bolland 5. Uncharacteristically lost his cool at one stage, and not one of his better performances.
Hatswell 6. United's most consistent player battled valiantly but could make little impression.
Tonkin 6. Far from perfect, but made some excellent clearances in one-on-ones with strikers and got forward when he could despite his side's misguided formation.
Willmott 5. Looked lost in the first half in an unsuitable position, more comfortable as a winger in part two.
McMahon 5. Disappointing after such a promising debut, his set piece delivery left a lot to be desired.
Farrell 4. Seemed to have lost his way, although again the tactics did not help. Failed to either provide the forwards with adequate support or assist defensively.
Beesley 5. Worked hard but failed to make anything of note happen.
Crow 5. Showed some nice touches, but was utterly let down by hopeless 'service.'
Rendell 6. Put in the legwork and won some decent ball, but even Torres would have struggled with some of the passes he was lumbered with.
Jardim 4. A match to forget crowned by THAT miss.
Holroyd 6. Lively if belated sub and created United's best chance.
Match Summary
It was tinker to stinker for Gary Brabin as his gamble on changing a winning formation backfired spectacularly in front of Setanta's watching dozens. His side's meek surrender raises questions about both the manager and the character of his players which need answers very quickly indeed.
Man of the Match
Anthony Tonkin. Best of a poor bunch, although the strikers did at least have the excuse of a dreadful supply line.
Ref Watch
Jock Waugh 8. Best named ref for many a long year and put in a performance to match, trying to keep the game flowing and avoiding cards where possible.
Becky's World of Wit and Wisdom
"A little neglect may breed mischief. For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost; for want of a rider, the message was lost; for want of a message, the battle was lost." [Leicester, 29/9/91]
Hello... Goodbye
'Psycho' Michael Norbury was born on this day in 1969, so he has now hit the big four-o. His signing by John Beck from Bridlington Town in February 1992 made the national newspapers because he had served a jail sentence for causing the death of his girlfriend. It turned out to be an unsuccessful gamble as he never measured up to the standards of U's strikers such as Dion Dublin and John Taylor and he eventually followed Beck to Preston after scoring a mere three goals in twelve games plus seventeen as sub. After a spell at Doncaster he became a nomadic fixture of northern non-league grounds for many years thereafter.
Another birthday boy today is Richard Prokas (1976). He achieved notoriety in February 2001 while playing for Carlisle for a ghastly two-footed midair 'tackle' on Arsenal's Patrick Vieira, which fortunately only broke the Frenchman's shinpad. Remarkably, he was not even cautioned at the time because ref Steven Lodge did not see the incident clearly, but television exposure forced a public apology from Prokas and a visit from the FA to warn him about his future conduct.
His spell with United was markedly less dramatic, signing for £10,000 a mere month after the Vieira incident when John Beck succeeded Roy McFarland, and he never really established himself in the first team, returning to the north west with Workington after one goal in fourteen appearances.
Ben Farrell made his U's debut exactly one year ago today after signing from Bedford, in United's 5-0 drubbing of Droylsden. His time at the Abbey has been studded with injury and suspension and one can only hope he fulfils his considerable potential.
Club legend George Harris played his last game for United on this day in 1972, in a 4-3 win at Exeter. Signed from Reading for £3,000 in October 1969, he hammered a hat-trick on his debut in a 5-1 win over Nuneaton and went on to score a superb 23 goals in 28 league games (plus 12 in 20 cup games) from the left wing to help United to the Southern League championship and election to the Football League. Although nominally a winger, he was a clinical finisher and excellent in the air although only 5' 9' tall. He played in half of United's matches in their first Division 4 season, scoring seven times, but his powers were waning and he moved on to Hillingdon Borough when he began to lose his pace.
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Samuel James "Sam" Williamson (born 15 October 15 1987) is an English 
