Northampton Town

2nd March 2001: Nationwide League Division Two

New Striker, New Danger

There’s a sudden wave of optimism at The Racecourse, and it can be put down, to a great extent, to one man. Lee Trundle’s arrival, bringing with him buckets of confidence and a "shoot-on-sight" mentality, has converted Wrexham from a side which flatters to deceive to one which cashes in on its good play. This was clearly illustrated when the Robins emerged from this entertaining match with an emphatic victory: indeed, the first league win at The Racecourse by a margin of three goals since the opening day of the 1998-9 season, when Reading went down 3-0 in Ian Rush’s debut. Hopefully Trundle’s arrival will not prove to be such a false dawn, although to put his achievements in context, he has already scored two more goals for Wrexham than Rush managed in an entire season!

Brian Flynn’s decision to give Andy Morrell another start rather than rerward Craig Faulconbridge for his winning goal on Saturday might have surprised many, but the willing striker had his best match in a Wrexham shirt, notwithstanding his bullying of League of Wales sides, and formed a feisty combination with Trundle, never giving the Northampton defence a moment of peace. When Robin Gibson found his feet in the second half, this effect was heightened further. Trundle immediately signalled his intentions with an ambitious thirty yard drive on the turn which Welch fumbled, and Paul Barrett, who maintained his excellent run of form with another energetic performance, spurned a decent chance in a positive Wrexham start when he volleyed wildly over from the edge of the box after a measured Ferguson pass had allowed Morrell to cross from the left.

The breakthrough finally came to reward the home side in rather fortuitous circumstances. A weak defensive header picked out Brian Carey on the edge of the area, and he hit a hopeful volley into the ground and across the face of goal to the unmarked Morrell six yards out. The striker really ought to have lashed it in, but in missing the ball completely he at least distracted the goalkeeper, and Welch could not scramble across the goal in time to prevent Carey‘s shot from trickling in off the right hand post. Wrexham could have immediately doubled their lead when Barrett’s pass set up a two-on-two break which Morrell wasted, blasting a shot over from outside the box when more composure was required.

Northampton responded well to going behind, though, with the attacking trio of Forrester, Gabbiadini and Howard each offering a different type of threat. However, the back four held firm after an edgy start when they rode their luck as each of the strikers missed chances to equalise. First, the defence were asleep when a quick throw set up Forrester, who cut inside Roche but struck a shot which Dearden parried, and when the attacking triumverate combined neatly to tee up Howard on the edge of the box the Wrexham goalkeeper denied him with a good save as the shot was fired across him. Gabbiadini’s opportunity came when Trundle misplaced a pass and the Northampton striker ran through the centre of the defence to find himself clear on goal, but missed the arget as Dearden advanced.

Wrexham regained their equilibrium after this shaky spell and began to impose themselves as the half closed. Trundle nearly created something out of nothing when he picked up a Ferguson pass on the left corner of the box, turned an struck a thundering drive which Welch did well to push away, Hope just beating Morrell and Gibson to the loose ball and scooping it behind. Too often Wrexham have failed to capitalise on periods of pressure this season, but the new look Reds are starting to rid themselves of this problem, and snatched another goal to cement their grip on the game just before the break. The second goal was as magnificent as the first was scrappy, with Trundle again integral. When Ferguson fed him thirty yards out he turned and hooked a terrific ball over the square back four which Morrell latched onto on the edge of the box. As the ball dropped in front of him, Morrell showed the confidence of a striker who has been scoring at a rate of more than a goal a game in the reserves, hitting it spectacularly on the bounce into the top right corner.

As the pitch became more slippery, Northampton restarted in a more direct mode, and Kevin Dearden had to make a crucial save to keep them at bay.Jim Whitley, on loan from Manchester City, surged down the right and hit a shot which was defelcted to Forrester, six yards out. Fortunately it didn;t drop neatly in his path, but the striekr still had time to turn and hit a powerful shot which was stopped by a superb reflex save which with hindsight had as much of an influence on the final result as any of the goals.

Wrexham righted themselves and took control as the half wore on. Trundle was again the focal point, lashing a shot wide after yet another neat turn, and Ferguson supplied a similar finish after a fine combination by Gibson and Trundle. Town changeed their shape to 4-3-3 to try to fashion more chances, but initially it was Wrexham who exploited the gaps they left down the flanks, with Gibson and Russell enjoying particularly prominent second halves. They combined to nearly snatch a third goal when Russell hit an inspired pass over the top which Gibson latched onto behind the full back, but his shot was deflected into the side-netting. The Mark McGregor, reigniting memories of his recent striek against Colchester, embarked on a terrific charge through the centre of the visiting defence, capping it with a fierce drive from the edge of the box which was heroically stopped by Hope between his legs! Naturally, there was a lenghty stoppage – it was a cold night after all!

These missed chances could have come back to haunt Wrexham, as Town mounted a brave fight-back in the final fifteen minutes, with Howard particularly unfortunate. Within the space of ninty seconds he managed to hit the woodweard twice, first rattling the post from six yards out after a scramble in the goalmouth, and themn turning to hit a measured shot from twenty yards whichclipped the bar on its way over. Wrexham managed some respite when a McGregfor cross was flicked on by a defender to Gibson, whose vicious, dipping volley from ten yards out scraped the top of the bar, but Forrester was soon causing further problems, drawing a spectacular flying catch out of Dearden and then forcing the keeper to backtrack sharply to catch a diving header right under the bar.

Appropriately, the final word went to Trundle, though. As Town threw men forward, Wrexham fashioned two-on-two break, initiated by a typical burst from Morrell who pulled the ball back for Trundle on the edge of the box. The striker sold the defenders a dummy as the ball came across him, looking to get it on his left foot, but then pulled it back onto his right, using the ovewrlapping Russell as a decoy, and toe-poked a shot past Welch with his weaker foot.

WREXHAM (4-3-3): Dearden; Roche, Ridler, Carey (c), McGregor; Russell, Ferguson, Barrett; Gibson, Morrell, Trundle. UNUSED SUBS: Rogers, Warren, D Williams, Blackwood, Faulconbridge.

NORTHAMPTON TOWN (3-4-3): Welch; Sampson, Hope (Ferguson 90), Green (Savage 61); Whitley, Frain (c), Hunt, Nicholson; Gabbiadini (Hodge 74), Howard, Forrester. UNUSED SUBS: Sollitt, Morrow.

Referee: M. A. Cooper (Walsall)

Bookings:
Wrexham		Northampton Town
Roche (kicking ball away, 59)		Sampson (foul on McGregor, 42)
		Hunt (Barged Gibson, 52)

Attendance: 2,940

Reaction: Brian Flynn

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