Had to be a risk today that, as at Wrexham last season, we might not be in the best shape to take them on. Last time, we went into the game on the back of the amazing 0-4 win at Wycombe, one which involved a huge effort. We effectively lost the game in the first 20 minutes. This time around, we knew we would still be missing four important players (five if you add Godden), including the three from the defence. And with an international break coming up, the game felt like one you just want to get through without defeat and then rest up.
That we didn’t manage that has to be largely attributed to a crazy moment by Hernandez, gifting them a penalty out of nothing. We’d had the better of the chances in the first half but didn’t take one (or more) and in the second were coming under the cosh. But we were coping well enough defensively, without doing anything in their half. If we’d kept it at 0-0 going into the final 10 minutes there’s no saying what might have happened. Even then it took a fine save at the death from Berry’s header to prevent him doing what he’d done for us at Hull. A hard one to take but them’s the breaks in tight games.
On Tuesday night the subs and formation change had turned the game; but it was still a surprise that Jones seemed to opt to start today’s game with the changed set-up. Fullah started, as did Knibbs, while Olaofe was selected as the effective lone striker, Leaburn dropping to the bench. It looked like in front of Kaminski a back three of Ramsay, Jones and Gillsephey, with Bree and Campbell as the wing-backs. Docherty would also be on the bench, with Carey and Coventry the main pair, with Knibbs and Fullah in front of them either side of Olaofe. It looked like a bold selection, one which would give Wrexham some pause for thought but one which carried risks. Could Campbell cope defensively against a fast winger (in the event he did) and what would happen when we would need to make changes?
The first half was a fairly even affair, but the cleaner chances were for us. In the first minute a poor Wrexham pass out went to Olaofe. He played it to Carey on the left side, who cut in and put in a decent shot saved, with Olaofe just unable to get to the rebound off the keeper (he claimed he was pulled back). On 23 minutes Campbell broke along the left touchline, and cut inside. His shot was blocked but came out for Bree, whose effort was saved, then Coventry sent his effort from the rebound well over. And best of all on 35 minutes Ramsay moved it on to Olaofe. His shot was miscued but ended up being blocked by their defender alongside Knibbs. As the defender ended on the ground, Knibbs was able to turn, but in looking to lift it over their keeper managed to hit the bar.
Against that, Wrexham did have moments, Kaminski having to save at his near post and then one at the far post which their guy put over. In terms of the flow of the game it was nip and tuck, very little in it. At the break the stats showed three efforts each on target – but ours were by far the more threatening.
Wrexham did take more of a grip in the second half, pinning us back, but aside from a corner headed back across goal and not converted we were making the interceptions and getting the tackles in to defend our goal. Trouble was, with Fullah and Knibbs both tiring we weren’t getting much relief from the pressure.
On 59 minutes we made our first change, with Docherty replacing Fullah, who despite an early yellow card had impressed again before running out of steam. On 67 minutes Wrexham made three substitutions and we did our first, Hernandez coming on for Knibbs. That meant a change back to our more usual shape, Hernandez filling in at left wing-back and Campbell moving further forward, with Docherty and Coventry renewing their partnership and Carey moving forward.
They seemed like sensible changes to shore things up – and necessary to replace tiring players. But on 75 minutes the game changed materially for the worse. Hernandez was looking troubled by their pacey winger but there seemed no danger when he went for a cross to the far post. Nobody saw anything at the time, but the next thing we knew the ref had given them a penalty. And the replays did show that Hernandez had seemed to misjudge the flight of the ball and instead of getting his head on it managed to touch it with a raised arm. Very harsh but not one we can complain about. Kaminski guess right but couldn’t keep out the low hard shot.
Now we had to chase the game and Wrexham were more content to sit on what they had, happy to see out the game and look for the space as we became increasingly desperate. On 83 minutes Berry came on for Coventry, Carey dropping deeper again, but we weren’t looking like getting back on level terms. Indeed, Wrexham probably should have extended their lead when a Kaminski save went back to Moore, who tried to be too precise with the rebound and Kaminski saved again.
With Ramsey struggling – but still managing to intercept – and Jones limping, we weren’t sure if nine minutes of stoppage time was good news for us or just adding to the torture. But even then we managed one last effort. Carey whipped in a cross from the right and Berry got up to head it goalwards, only for their keeper to manage to turn it over the bar. Kaminski went up for the corner but it came to nothing and that was that.
Today the few key moments went against us and we have to live with that. Who knows how the final stages would have played out if it was still 0-0? Was the choice to go with Fullah and Knibbs from the start – rather than bring them on after say an hour to look to change the game again – the right one? Nobody can say, we don’t know the state of the players going into the game. We lost. There’s really nothing to be learnt from the experience, just have to take it, get players back fit, and go again after the international break.
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