Lucky deflection hands victory to Wrexham

A poor game was decided by a deflected free kick from Wrexham’s Jay Harris and a couple of missed opportunities by United as The Bulls surrendered their unbeaten start to 2013 at Edgar Street this evening.

Martin Foyle kept faith with the eleven that started at Braintree with the only change coming on the bench where Chris Curruthers replaced Simon Clist.

 Attacking the Blackfriars end, The Bulls were the first to show intent but Marley Watkins forced an early corner on the right that filed to produce a threat.  Wright and former Blackpool striker Brett Ormerod combined but Stefan Stam was alert to the danger and quickly snuffed out the move.

O’Keefe fed Watkins but the cross was too close to keeper Maxwell who was easily able to gather before Stam, again, intercepted when Wright shaped to shoot.  Hanford came to collect with a confidence building catch following a few unconvincing rushed clearances. 

With 25 minutes played, neither team had created any real chances as sloppy play resulted in both sides giving possession away needlessly.  Watkins played a wall-pass with Clucas to create some space but Riley was on hand to hack into touch.

Westwood manhandled Sharp to the ground to concede a free kick, which Kingsley James floated into the box but Westwood got a firm header away.  Then a Musa long throw caused some panic before Maxwell scrambled the ball out for a fruitless corner before, on 32 minutes Wrexham took a somewhat fortunate lead.

The 'Wall' For Harris's Free Kick

Marley Watkins clipped the ankles of Dean Keates to concede a free kick 22 yards out and Jay Harris’ shot took a wicked deflection off the wall leaving Hanford stranded as the ball veered into the net.

Hanford Beaten By A Deflection

The Bulls almost levelled the score a few minutes later when Watkins’ flag kick was met by a thumping Stefan Stam header that cannoned off Maxwell’s shin and out for a corner.  It was clear that Maxwell was flat-footed and only the wretched luck of The Bulls kept it out.

Wrexham striker Danny Wright was a bit naughty leaving a foot in to catch Musa as the young fullback cleared upfield but the offence escaped the referee’s notice.  Westwood was not so fortunate however when he cynically hacked Sharp down as The Bulls’ striker broke free on goal.  Westwood was, technically, last man but probably avoided a red card because of the distance from goal.  Still, a lucky man.

Ryan Bowman

The free kick produced a chance for Josh O’Keefe but his header was tipped over by Maxwell when, with a little more composure, he might have let the ball come down and volleyed the ball.

The half had been pretty evenly contested with neither side producing good openings although Chris Sharp did feed Sam Clucas just before the break but his effort was blazed over.

HT Bulls 0  Wrexham 1

Early Bulls’ pressure produced a cross from Watkins that was over-hit before Kingsley James driven cross was blocked away by Riley.  Watkins dinked a ball inside to James but his first time pass into the box was hurried and failed to threaten.

For Wrexham, Clarke cut in from the right but fired high and wide as, once again, both sides were wasteful with possession.  The ball seemed to swing aimlessly from end to end until; 13 minutes into the half, Chris Sharp missed a golden opportunity to square the match.

Marley Watkins jinked his way into space and sent over a perfect cross to Sharp just five yards from goal.  Sadly, his poor header went softly into the arms of Maxwell with most of the goal unguarded.

A Free Kick Taken By Clucas Came To Nothing

Musa dropped a long throw into the box but no United player was able to get a boot onto it and Maxwell was able to smother.  The Bulls were, at this point, having the lions share of possession but were guilty of looking for the clever ball too far from goal when an easy pass to an unmarked team-mate seemed the better option and was more likely to gain ground.

Marlon Jackson replaced Sharp with twenty minutes remaining and was soon into the action feeding Clucas who, in turn, passed to James who was unceremoniously dumped on his backside by Harris but Sam’s flighted free kick was saved low down by Maxwell. 

Martin Foyle threw on Brian Smikle in place of Gallinagh as The Bulls went with three at the back in an attempt to force the equaliser.  Stam had another header saved by Maxwell before a poor Hanford clearance enabled Wrexham to waste several valuable minutes playing keep-ball in the corner.

A final opportunity fell to Bowman but he blazed well over from inside the box and despite three added minutes it was the 200 odd North Walians in a disappointing crowd of 1781 that went home happy.

FT Bulls 0  Wrexham 1

Hereford: - Hanford, Gallinagh (Smikle 80), Stam, Graham, Musa, Watkins, James, O’Keefe, Clucas, Sharp (Jackson 69), Bowman.  Unused Heath, Curruthers, McDonald.

Wrexham: - Maxwell, Wright, Aston, Riley, Westwood, Harris, Keates, Clarke, Hunt (Little 76), Wright, Ormerod (Ogleby 64).  Unused Walker, Cieslewicz, Thornton.

Lots of huffing and puffing but very few chances for either side in a game that, frankly, disappointed as a spectacle.  Wrexham showed a little more craft in the centre area where Dean Keates was able to find too much space.  The Bulls were wasteful with the few chances that fell their way whereas Wrexham did little more than pick up what was offered too them via our own mistakes.

Andy Gallinagh

Galls put in his usual shift and Stam and Graham both solid but young Musa found his Wrexham charge a bit more of a challenge than the one that faced him on Saturday.  Marley and Sam both worked to get their crosses in and create chances but James and O’Keefe lacked the spare man and were guilty of trying to force the special pass that really wasn’t there on too many occasions.  Wrexham, on the other hand, kept is simple, passed and moved, but without threat.  A couple of chances spurned meant a draw would have been probably the right result.  Not bad, but not quite good enough.I like to hope that The Imps will be less organised on Saturday.

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