Wrexham FC 4-1 Hayes & Yeading – Mark Currie’s verdict

Feb 20 2012

By Mark Currie - Daily Post

It was back to business for Wrexham on Saturday after an enforced three-week break and they showed few signs of ring-rustiness in comfortably seeing off relegation-threatened Hayes & Yeading at the Racecourse.

The margin of victory could, and probably should, have been greater as the Dragons bossed the game pretty much from start to finish, although they relaxed in the final few minutes and conceded a soft goal that earned them a mild post-match rebuke from player-manager Andy Morrell.

Whether the lapse in concentration was caused by the crowd’s reaction to a rumour that Cambridge United had scored a late equaliser at Fleetwood Town is anybody’s guess, but it’s a good job that Morrell and his players don’t share the fixation that the supporters seem to have about the current league leaders, whose 1-0 win kept them two points clear at the top of the table having played a game more.

The fans, and it has to be said, some elements of the media could do worse than to heed the advice of former Wrexham player and Wales international Barry Horne, now a director at the Racecourse, who has pointed out there will be but one opportunity for the Dragons to sabotage their rivals’ promotion charge and that will come when the two sides face each other at Highbury in April.

And Mark Creighton, who scored one goal and had another effort disallowed in Saturday’s stroll, put it even more succinctly when Fleetwood were mentioned.

“If we win the next 15 (games) I think we are promoted,” he said. “I think our work ethic gets us through most games, even when we don’t play so well. We out-work teams and all we can do is to continue to do that and see what happens.”

Delighted to have notched his second goal of the campaign, the big defender went on: “I think if it had been double figures they (Hayes) couldn’t have had any complaints because we were excellent going forward.

“We’ve not had a game for three weeks and I’m sure the fans were delighted we turned in a performance like that.

“Everyone was just champing at the bit to have a game and the lads have gone out there and performed today which is what we needed to do.”

That was especially true of Wrexham debutants, Danny Alfei and Steven Leslie, who in a relatively easy baptism did not disappoint. The young Wales under-21 defender was neat and tidy and got forward well to deliver a couple of excellent crosses while midfield man Leslie looked mobile, strong and composed and was unlucky not to add his name to the goal tally.

The same could not be said of Morrell, who spurned two decent opportunities in the opening 15 minutes when he fired weakly at goalkeeper Carl Pentney and then steered a free header wide of the target from an Adrian Cieslewicz cross.

The breakthrough, when it came in the 16th minute, was made by leading goal-scorer Jake Speight, whose run was picked out by Morrell, and the striker did well to hold off a defender before drilling a low shot that wrong-footed the Hayes keeper.

With the visitors struggling to get a foothold in the contest the lead should have been doubled five minutes later when Speight was played through by Neil Ashton, although on this occasion his effort was parried by Pentney and the striker bundled the rebound wide.

The Dragons continued to dominate, Phil Walsh making a goal-line clearance to deny Leslie from a corner before Creighton netted at the far post on the half-hour, only to have his celebrations cut short by referee Amy Fearn, who had spotted Speight’s hand helping on Ashton’s free kick.

Against stronger opposition the missed chances might have come back to haunt Wrexham who were their own worst enemies in the closing stages of the first period, sloppiness at the back enabling Hayes to win a succession of corners that were none too comfortably dealt with.

But the home side went into the break on a high thanks to a 44th minute goal from Creighton who was on hand to fire home after Pentney had again failed to keep hold of a Cieslewicz cross.

The 49th minute was notable for the fact that it saw a first direct shot of the afternoon on Joslain Mayebi’s goal, Daniel Wishart’s strike proving none too difficult for the keeper and the visitors’ defence was once more found wanting in the 57th minute when the excellent Jay Harris accepted a short corner from Joe Clarke and was given time from 25 yards to pick his spot as he curled a superb effort into the top corner of the net.

Thereafter it was simply a case of how many more Wrexham would score, but they eased down and settled for just the one, substitute Mathias Pogba netting from close range in the 74th minute after Pentney had spilled a shot from Speight, who appeared to be well offside when he took a pass from Harris inside the six-yard box.

The goalkeeper redeemed himself to some extent with two fine saves from Harris during the closing stages that brought a consolation for the visitors two minutes from time. Substitute Julian Owusu did the damage after cutting in from the left and, although Mayebi blocked his effort, Michael Thalassatis converted the loose ball.

But it was far too little too late for the visitors whose manager Nas Basir admitted to a chastening afternoon.

“We got what we deserved today – absolutely nothing,” he said afterwards. “We played against a good team who were well-organised and looked sharper than us. In the first half we were poor and it was the worst we have played all season.

“I don’t want to take credit away from them (Wrexham) because they deserved the win and we deserved nothing really.

“Fair play to them, they took their chances, although we defended poorly at times, and I’ve got no complaints because I thought the better team won on the day.”
 

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