Brentford

31st March 2001: Nationwide League Division Two

Third Defeat in Row Ends Slim Play-off Hopes

Any remaining hopes of a play-off place were finally laid to rest today as Wrexham suffered their third consecutive defeat at Brentford. The visitors, with former Bee Kevin Dearden in goal, started positively and forced four corners without reply in the opening 15 minutes. Goal scoring sensation Lee Trundle was the first to put a shot in, in the third minute, but Gottskalson was there to gather safely for the Bees.

The Bees had to wait until the 12th minute before they showed anything of note in attack, and it was the skipper Paul Evans who did so with a half volley from 25 yards out which flew just wide. The first Brentford corner came in the 16th minute. The ball was cleared from Evans centre and went to Michael Dobson. He in turn played it wide to Gavin Mahon who duly played it into the path of Scott Partridge on the edge of the area who saw his shot saved by Dearden.

Midway through the half a fine move involving Lovett, Martin Rowlands and Tony Folan was rewarded with a corner. From the centre Darren Powell’s header flew wide of the target. The Bees were now pressurising the visitors goal and another corner followed a centre whipped in by Partridge, and this time Powell made no mistake heading home Evans’ corner for his first of the season after Robin Gibson had missed his clearance at the near post.

The goal was the catalyst for an even more improved spell of play by the Bees during which they threatened a second goal on a number of occasions. In the 31st minute an excellent diagonal ball from Evans picked out Lovett who played inside to Lloyd Owusu but the striker saw his shot on the turn saved by Dearden. Two minutes later Lee Roche was lucky when having baulked Partridge repeatedly as the Bees number 10 looked to run clear, he was shown the yellow card instead of the red.

Seven minutes from the break Trundle tested Oli Gott with a shot on the turn, but the Icelandic keeper was equal to the task. Owusu had a goal disallowed in the 41st minute following a fine through ball from Mahon which he expertly slid wide of Dearden.

In the final seconds of the half as the Bees forced two more corners, the first of which saw the ball slip at speed through Dearden’s hands whilst the second was the forerunner for a chipped effort from Evans which flew just beyond the far post.

The Bees started the second half in a positive frame of mind and Partridge fired wide after just four minutes. A minute later Folan saw his chipped effort from 20 yards following a fine through ball from Owusu, fly high over the bar. The game was getting a bit scrappy now and Wrexham saw Russell shown a yellow card and skipper Brian Carey go unpunished for a late challenge on Gottskalksson. Rowlands was also shown a yellow card, the first of two for the Bees as late sub Julian Charles also collected a card late in the game.

For a while during the later stages, Wrexham pushed quite hard for an equaliser but rarely looked capable of gaining one as the central defensive partnership of Powell, Ingimarsson and Mahon reigned supreme throughout. It was a frustrating outcome following the previous two home results, and finally confirmed Wrexham’s inevitable position in the middle of the table.

BRENTFORD (3-5-2): Gottskalksson, Lovett, Mahon, Ingimarsson, Powell, Dobson, Evans, Folan (O`Connor), Owusu, Rowlands, Partridge (Charles 84). UNUSED SUBS: P. Smith, Williams, Theobald

WREXHAM (4-3-3): Dearden; Roche, Ridler, Carey (c), McGregor; Chalk, D. Williams, Russell; Gibson (Blackwood 68), Morrell (Faulconbridge 68), Trundle. UNUSED SUBS: Walsh, Warren, Hardy.

Referee: A. Hall (Birmingham)

Bookings:
Brentford		Wrexham
Rowlands		Roche (foul on Partridge, 33)
Charles		Russell

Attendance: 4,449

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