Comments

Great performance last night lads.

Everton are 10pts clear in the supporters league, and are still un-beaten in all comps- this season, and in my opinion, we-ve probably given them as tough a game, as anyone this season!!

The game started with Wrexham playing into the bright sunshine, which didn-t help our defence, but we managed to cope quite well as it happened.

The pace of the game, was frenetic at best, and never really dropped tempo through-out! (hard for old legs like mine, with a tubby belly to carry around!!!)

Everton area real quality outfit, but we matched them in ALL areas, through-out the game.
It amazing what a bit of confidence and a few quality players can do, to boost peoples playing ability.

Chalkie & Si Mason, looked comfortable all game in the middle, and the huge pitch on the queensway, certainly helped in giving our wide lads space.

First 15-20 mins wrexham dominated the game, with chalkie / kille & curly, all going close with long range efforts.
The back four, were holding a good line, and seemed to gell well, (bearing in mind the RB hasn-t played hardly in the last 6 mths, and bux was in a very unusual LB role - which he did very well in, I must say) with plenty of talking from the centre halfs, to help, with our positioning etc.

When the opening goal did come, it was slightly against the run of play. Andy put in a superb sliding challenge, to win the ball, and no-one on the pitch was more surprised than the everton striker involved, when he was awarded a penalty!!!!
Steve made a galant effort to save, by getting a hand to the ball, but the pace carried it over.

Wrexham 3 or 4 months ago, would have dropped their heads, but now instead, we just stepped up a gear, determined to get back on level-terms, and finished the half again on top, but still looking for the ellusive break-through.

Sadly Steve Lloyd would not take any further part, with a damaged hand, to be replaced by a more than able -Paul Baker- (who was to make at least one crucial save 2nd half)

2nd half started with a few changes, but the belief in the side remained, and again, some of the passing was a joy to watch. (I-d come off at half time - so could see things a little clearer, and it REALLY was good football!)
In all fairness, a lot of that is down to Chalkie, as even though we-re more than a one man team, he really does a lot of work for the team, on & off the ball, continuously talking to players around him, and although he-s a little heavier than in his pro- days, he-s still one of the fittest lads on the pitch! [obviously i don-t mean in the looks dept- though ]

Baker in goal, made a great save, when faced on-on-one with an opposition player, and as in the first half, this seemed to kick us on again. Our reward came, after a free kick awarded from 25yds out, central to the goal.
Paolo, touched it sideays for Chalkie, who rolled back the years, to lash one into the top corner, for the -deserved- equaliser.

Matty Sutherland went close soon after, with a great curling effort from even further out, which the keeper -somehow- managed to claw out for a corner.

And that was pretty much that, with a draw being a fair result, in my opinion.

Everton will say [as they have done on the league website] squad players this..... players missing that...... but what we need to remember is, that they are 10pts clear at the top of our league, and have won something like 12 or 13, out of 14 games, and drew the others!!!!

I personally say, we-ve just given the run-away league leaders, the fright of their lives! with a little taste of whats to come, next season from Wrexham SFC, should we stay in the supporters league that is?

Add to this, the fact that we were still without quality players like Deadeyedixie / Ballack / Liam White etc, and its shows just how far we-ve come in recent times !!!

Well done to everyone who played.
(and credit to Welshie, for bringing the extra quality into the team)

** If I-ve missed any notable bits out of the match report, feel free to add them**

( I-ll get welshie to txt me the player ratings, and add them later )

Wrexham team & Manager-s ratings

GK - Steve Lloyd 9
LB - Stuart Buxton 9
CB - Andy Jones (C) 9
CB - Paul Lamb 9 (MoM)
RB - Daz Barker 9
LM - Craig Lovell 9
CM - Martyn Chalk 9
CM - Simon Mason 9
RM - Andy Pearce 9
STR - Robert Wright 9
STR - Luke Walker 9

Subs, from:

Tony Perkins 9
Arron Scott 9
Paolo Melacrinis 9
Mason Matthews 9
Matty Sutherland 9
Paul Baker 9
Chris Tramps-something? [bulgarian/portugeezer, fella] 9

Manager-s MoM - Paul Lamb.

(I fully agree with this decision, as he won every header, marshalled the whole defence well, and in particular [for me], he kept talking to me through-out my time on the pitch..... as i used to play centre half, being at right back, is a bit of a different role for me, and I was glad of any help / encouragement I could get off him / anyone)