Airbus UK Broughton 2
Wrexham Reserves 3
Reserve Friendly

Match Report

A Jamie Reed penalty (on his last appearance before joining Aberystwyth Town on loan) 11 minutes from time decided this competitive friendly clash at the Airfields. With the game deadlocked at 2-2, the striker latched onto a through ball only to be brought down by the advancing Airbus keeper as he tried to nip the ball round him and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. The spot kick was clinically dispatched into the bottom right-hand corner of the net with the keeper going the wrong way and Joey Jones’ side comfortably held on from then on to register another pre-season victory.

The Dragons fielded a strong side, including Steve Evans (though the defender’s evening only lasted seven minutes because of injury), Gareth Evans, Mike Williams, Matty Crowell and Marc Williams (even though the young striker had played a prominent role in the previous night’s dramatic Carling Cup victory at Port Vale). But it was former Racecourse favourite Gareth Owen’s side that opened the scoring in the 8th minute when a cross from the left dropped invitingly inside the six-yard box where a home player was on hand to easily find the net from close range.

Reed and Mike Carvill both had chances to equalise, but it was left for Marc Williams to grab the deserved leveller on 24 minutes when trialist Robin Kacaniklic delivered a deep Crowell corner back into the box and the Welsh Under-21 international had the simple task of heading in from inside the six-yard box. Eight minutes later the Dragons were ahead when Gareth Evans headed another Crowell corner from the right back into the six-yard box and Marc Williams was again in the right place at the right time to hammer the ball into the net from close range. But the lead only lasted four minutes as a defence-splitting pass put a home forward through and he coolly slotted the ball past Chris Maxwell in the Dragons’ goal.

The second half saw the usual plethora of substitutions but the game remained competitive and chances were created at both ends. Reed and Mark Stewart both wasted good chances of restoring the Dragons’ lead, and at the other end Maxwell was called to make two good saves in as many minutes as the home side also went in search of a third goal. But they didn’t get it and, ultimately, the 79th minute penalty proved decisive.