Wrexham FC 1-1 Barrow: Mark Currie's verdict

Aug 30 2010

By Mark Currie - Daily Post

It's come to a pretty pass when some Wrexham FC fans seemed to be more upset on Saturday than Barrow boss Dave Bayliss that his side failed to hang on for a 1-0 victory at the Racecourse.

The former Dragons’ defender had watched his side protect their slender advantage for more than 70 minutes before they conceded an equaliser in the fourth minute of added time – an own goal by substitute Mike Pearson adding insult to injury.

But Bayliss took the result on the chin, which is more than can be said of those disgruntled home fans whose antipathy to Racecourse manager Dean Saunders apparently now matters more to them than results or performances, whether they be good, bad or indifferent.

But as certain as it is that Saunders won’t be Wrexham manager forever, neither will he be leaving any time soon simply to placate what club chairman Ian Roberts described in the match programme as “the loudest voices”.

Commenting on the reaction from some sections of the crowd following last Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Kidderminster Harriers, Roberts wrote: “You, the supporters, or should I say the loudest voices, let your feelings be known regarding our manager. However, please consider it is still early days and it is a new team.

“They are going to take time to gel and booing them at such an early part of the season doesn’t help them gain the confidence and unity that is needed for us to compete where we are.

“I can confirm that we at the club are all working together to try and bring the success we all require.

“It is difficult and it is hard, but unless we all work together and stop the constant bitching from some quarters it is going to be a very hard, uphill struggle.”

Such talk has a hollow ring coming as it does from a boardroom that, with the best will in the world, can’t boast overmuch about harmony, purpose or direction in recent seasons.

And it’s also wasted on a faction concerned more with issues off the field of play than on it or who persist in peddling the myth that Wrexham are too big a club to be in the Conference and should be rolling over teams whose levels of ambition do not include membership of the Football League.

Much as directors might wish to the contrary, the Racecourse is no Field of Dreams and it is the latent goodwill that exists around the town rather than blind faith that must be tapped into.

Having issued their vote of confidence, they should do themselves a favour, buckle up for what might be a bumpy ride and keep their fingers crossed that Saunders, after a couple of false turns, is finally on the right track.

And Bayliss, touted by some of Saunders’ critics as a potential Racecourse replacement, offered some grounds for optimism, even if it has yet to be reflected in terms of results.

“We would have taken a point before the game,” he said afterwards.

“This is a really hard place to come to so I’m not too disappointed. Wrexham played really well and if they had won there wouldn’t have been many complaints.

“We had to defend well today because Wrexham have some very good players and it’s just a matter of time before it clicks into place.

“One result can change a season and we said to our lads beforehand make sure it’s not today.”

It wasn’t what the anti-Saunders brigade want to hear but nonetheless was a fair summation of a game in which the home side, apart from one or two errors, were always in control.

Wrexham survived an early scare when former Dragon Paul Edwards whipped in a cross for lone striker Jason Walker, whose header was blocked by Chris Blackburn.

But the home side were denied a 19th-minute lead when on-loan Leeds United keeper Alan Martin made a fine save to turn away Nat Knight-Percival’s header from a Dean Keates corner.

That was the first of three inviting first-half opportunities spurned by the former Histon midfielder, the other two coming after Walker pounced on a mis-directed header by Marvin Andrews, squirmed his way into the penalty area and put his side ahead with a crisp shot.

Thereafter it was pretty much a case of attack against defence, the Dragons penning their opponents in their own half of the field, but getting little change from a stubborn back line in which centre backs Phil Bolland and Paul Jones didn’t put a foot – or a head – wrong.

Six corners in the opening 45 minutes and nine in the second period were the obvious indicators of territory and possession, and Martin was at his best again in the 50th minute, clawing away Andy Morrell’s goalbound header after a neat build-up involving Declan Walker and David Brown.

At the other end, an underworked Scott Shearer was exposed when Simon Wiles broke down the right to whip in a cross for Walker, but the keeper superbly saved the header to keep his side in the game.

Wrexham cranked up the pressure with every passing minute, Knight-Percival again failing to hit the target before substitute Kevin Gall just failed to touch in an inviting cross from Jay Harris and Andrews steered a header wide of the far post.

When Barrow’s composure showed signs of strain, Martin calmed the nerve with his authoritative handling and the home side looked to be heading for a first Racecourse defeat of the season when the referee’s assistant signalled four minutes of added time.

But in a last-ditch twist of fate Barrow’s luck ran out when Andrews charged like a winger down the right and drove in a low centre that ricocheted into the net off substitute Pearson, who had been on the pitch for only eight minutes.