Wrexham Reserves 3
Huddersfield Town Reserves 1
Central League

Match Report

New signing Billy Waters enjoyed a goalscoring debut as Wrexham beat Huddersfield Town 3-1 in a Central League clash at the Swansway Stadium in Nantwich. The former Barrow striker turned in an impressive display, having a hand in all three goals as Dave Jones’ side recorded their second win of the league campaign.

With first team manager Phil Parkinson watching from the stands, Wrexham fielded a very strong side with Max Cleworth, Anthony Forde, Callum McFadzean, and Luke Young amongst the starting eleven. Malik Dikjsteel was also included, the Dutchman playing in behind the strike pairing of Waters and Louis Lloyd.

Wrexham’s greater experience was a telling factor in the opening exchanges as they dominated play, their high tempo causing the Terriers defence numerous problems. A jinking run from Lloyd soon set up a chance for Waters but Huddersfield keeper Michael Acquah saved well, Max Cleworth headed over from a Waters’ cross before a flowing move involving Forde and Dijksteel resulted in Lloyd firing narrowly wide of the target.

The pressure finally told on 17 minutes when Lloyd opened the scoring with the simplest of side-foot finishes, once again Forde found space down the right and his precision pass enabled Waters to set up the fleet-footed forward for his fourth goal in eight matches. Forde came closing to doubling the lead a minute later, Acquah managing to gather the ball at the second attempt.

Having seemingly weathered the storm, the visitors levelled matters on the half-hour mark with their first attack of note, Hazeem Bakre seeing his low 20-yard drive take a wicked deflection past Kai Calderbank-Park in the Wrexham goal. A further blow for the Dragons came when captain Will Mountfield was forced off with injury, Reece Oliver taking his place in central midfield.

Despite the double setback, Wrexham gradually regained the initiative with Dijksteel making some fine forward runs one of which nearly brought a second goal for Lloyd. Scott Butler then headed wide before Forde saw a well struck free-kick fly just over the angle. That proved to be the Irishman’s last action of note, as he departed at the interval along with McFadzean and Young, Dan Jones, Dan Davies and Mikey Hayman taking their respective places.

Just three minutes into the second stanza Waters showed exactly why Parkinson was so keen to add him to his squad, the 28-year-old scoring with a superb flick from Dijksteel’s driven right-wing corner. With both sides making several changes, chances proved to be few and far between until deep into injury time when Waters set up Hayman to net with a fine first-time finish for a deserved victory.