Wrexham Youth 2
Morecambe U18 1
Football League Youth Alliance (North West Conference)

Match Report

Wrexham’s fine form of late continued as they came from a goal down inside the opening five minutes to record a third successive home victory and in the process extend their unbeaten league run to six games. After the previous week’s draw at Shrewsbury, coach Dan Nolan opted to restore Kyle Robinson-Murray to the line-up at the expense of Calum Huxley whilst three U16s – namely Patrick Jones, Matthew Jones and Cian Williams – all kept their starting places.

It was the visitors who started the brighter and scored with their first attack of note, Kaleb Young powerfully heading home Amikar Codjoui Djau’s left-wing corner at the near post. The Shrimpers then came close to adding a second on 12 minutes when Cole Edwards free-kick was well saved by Ben Tinkley.

The Young Reds drew level six minutes later when Robinson-Murray made a surging run down the left-wing before sending over a fine cross to the far post. There it was met by the diminutive Cameron McGregor who scored with a looping header, Morecambe’s giant centre-back Ibrahim Bakareto unable to prevent the ball crossing the goalline.

The impressive Matty Sargent then sent a shot narrowly wide before Robinson-Murray and McGregor combined for an almost identical move to that which brought the equaliser, Shrimpers’ custodian David Szczepaniak this time making a superb point-blank save to keep the scores level at the interval.

The second-half saw both sides go all out in search of a winner. Morecambe left-back Cole Edwards had a goalbound shot blocked before Patrick Jones was denied by a fine one-handed save from Szczepaniak as the play swung from end-to-end.

The game ultimately turned on the introduction of Huxley for Robinson-Murray on 70 minutes. Barely five-minutes later the young forward broke down the left and raced to the by-line before calmly pulling the ball back for the on-rushing Patrick Jones to score with a low shot into the corner of the net. The joy of the players was unconfined as they rushed to celebrate with the duo. The closest Morecambe came to equaliser was nine minutes from time when Freddie Price broke forward to the edge of the box only to see his shot deflected behind for a corner.