Wrexham Reserves 1
Tranmere Rovers Reserves 0
Central League (West Division)

Match Report

Globe Way, Buckley was the venue for the first time this season as old foes Tranmere Rovers were our visitors for a Pontin’s Holidays League fixture. In a game that became something akin to the old schoolyard games of attack against defence, a much more experienced Wrexham side dominated great passages of play against a much younger and inexperienced Rovers side.

And after a great rearguard action by the Rovers defence, in which goalkeeper Peter Kennedy was outstanding, the Reds finally managed to find a chink in their armour on 74 minutes, when a delightful chip over the top from right back Robbie Garrett freed Eifion Williams down the right channel and his cross shot beat the keeper before finding its way into the net off the far post.

The visitors’ only real chance came early in the match, but keeper Anthony Williams was equal to the effort and palmed the ball away. After that it was a succession of Wrexham attacks, but nothing that really worried Kennedy in the Rovers goal. Levi Mackin shot across the face of the goal on 12 minutes then a Matty Done free kick was headed just wide by Steve Evans 11 minutes later. And on 32 minutes, Marc Williams headed down for Eifion Williams to unleash a powerful 30-yarder that flew just inches wide of Kennedy’s left hand post, before Marc took a long clearance by Anthony Williams on the chest and lashed another effort narrowly wide just before the break.

The second half was even more of a one-way procession with Steve Evans twice going close from Matty Crowell free kick’s, once heading into the side netting and then seeing a header well saved by the flying Kennedy. Done had another close range shot deflected onto the woodwork by a defender on the line, before a Levi Mackin 25-yard shot was picked off by Kennedy. But just when the Wrexham faithful wondered where a goal might come from Eifion Williams was eventually able to break the deadlock and give the Reds their first three-pointer of the Pontin’s League season.

Coach Joey Jones was delighted with both the performance and result: “We went out there with the right kind of determination and purpose tonight,” he said. “We tried something different before the game, I gave them a few basics in the team talk, but then left them in the dressing room to sort themselves out. As a squad we had all done a fair bit of talking at Colliers Park in the morning and I wanted to see if they would put that into practice this evening. Happily the players did and now I want them to carry that into the first team on Saturday.”