Reah

17th March 2001: Nationwide League Division Two

Heads Held High in Defeat

This meeting of the two in-form teams in Division Two can be distilled to this: Reading defended superbly under great pressure, and triumphed through two well-taken goals by Martin Butler, assisted by Kevin Dearden. And yet that hardly does justice to a fine game of football which ended with Wrexham leaving the pitch stunned after perhaps their best performance of the season ended with them empty-handed.

Butler has an incredible scoring record in recent games against Wrexham: he scored the winning goal twice at The Racecourse last season, for Cambridge in the fourth round of the F.A. Cup; then transferred to Reading and scored the only goal in their league win. This season he had already bagged two at the Madejski Stadium in a 4-1 win, and got two more today, the first in the twelve minute when Kevin Dearden made a terrible hash of a high ball to the edge of the box by Caskey, heading it weakly to Butler, who lobbed the ball into the empty net from twenty five yards. (right) Despite an early effort by Russell, who drove just wide from twenty five yards, the goal was no surprise as the visitors, coming off a run of seven wins in nine games, started with more confidence, and Butler nearly snatched a second with a sharp shot from Caskey’s cross, but Dearden smothered it low to his left.

Wrexham struggled in the first twenty minutes to get any real grip on the ball in midfield, let alone provide service for the front two, although Morrell in particular looked lively, his pace testing Barry Hunter, who was given a late call-up against his old team. It was a blow, therefore, when he had to leave the pitch, shortly after taking a very heavy challenge from behind which earned the Northern Ireland centre back a yellow card.

As the half wore on, Wrexham began to take control, with Ferguson running midfield and Gibson becoming increasingly adventurous. A vocal crowd egged their team on as they turned the screw, but chances were few and far between as the visitors defended superbly. The equaliser should have come in injury time, however, when a Ferguson corner was met by Carey, whose header found Ridler a yard out, but as the goalkeeper flung himself despairingly at the ball he put it over the bar.

Wrexham offered a clear signal of their intentions at the start of the second half, creating two chances in the first minute! Within twenty seconds of the restart, substitute Craig Faulcobridge went agonisingly close when he met Roche’s cross with a firm header which was acrobatically pushed away by Whitehead. Within seconds the ball was back in the box, Trundle helping it on the Ferguson, who lashed a shot across the face of goal from the left. The threat from Trundle was growing constantly, and soon he had his first note-worthy effort on goal, juggling the ball with his back to goal before spinning and whipping a shot just wide.

Hunter and Adrian Whitbread were immense in the centre of an increasingly beleaguered defence, as this normally fluent Reading side were reduced to thumping the ball anywhere to release the intense pressure. On the other hand Wrexham’s full backs, McGregor and Roche, were able to press forward with impunity, McGregor constantly popping up in the box in open play and Roche following up his newly adventurous performance on Tuesday with an excellent second half in support of Gibson. McGregor twice caused problems in this period, first latching onto the ball as Trundle and Russell helped it across the face of the box and lashing in a shot which Whitehead held well, then finding Russell, whose effort was cleared off the line by Whitbread. Within two minutes another goal line clearance saved the Royals, Murty denying Carey’s header from Ferguson’s corner, and Ferguson’s threat from set-pieces was further emphasised when he drifted a twenty five yard free kick just over the bar, clipping the stanchion after going over.

The goal just had to come, and it was no surprise who applied the finish! With almost all the players camped in Reading’s penalty area, a lengthy spell of pressure ended with a goalbound Ferguson volley from the edge of the box which was well blocked. However, the midfielder was first to the loose ball and fed Barrett, who did well to help it on to Trundle. From then on it was a case of the prolific striker providing his trademark turn and emphatic left foot finish from fifteen yards out, with the ecstatic celebrations which spilled from the bench onto the pitch showing what the equaliser meant to fans, players and staff alike.

Reading responded to the goal by bringing on top scorer Jamie Cureton, rested to protect a groin strain; a sign that they needed more firepower as there was a real danger they would require a second goal to earn anything from the match. Wrexham continued to press, and McGregor nearly snatched a deserved lead when he picked up a Gibson pass and lashed a stupendous drive from thirty yards whch was brilliantly parried. A yard either side of Whithead and the shot would have gone in, probably earning three points.

As it was, Reading managed to regain a little equilibrium, but remained under the cosh, so it was a huge shock when, with virtually their first serious attack of the second half, they regained the lead. Wrexham had changed things around by bringing Michael Blackwood on for the unfortunate Barrett, whose industry had been outstanding, but it was a Reading change that brought the breakthrough. A midfield reshuffle pushed James Harper out onto the left to offer a more defensive presence, but he unlocked Wrexham’s defence with a great surge before pulling the ball back for Matthew Robinson to cross to the far post, where Butler got in front of his man and tucked the ball home from six yards.

After Trundle had chipped over from the edge of the box, Wrexham’s desperate final throw of the dice was to bring Dennis Lawrence on for his debut, surprisingly in attack, with the injured Dave Ridler withdrawing to leave the Reds with three at the back and three up front. The change nearly paid off remarkably when Lawrence rose to meet a Ferguson corner in injury time and made contact with a glancing header which Whitehead brilliantly tipped over, the 6′ 3" keeper at full stretch.

The final whistle blew soon afterwards, to a stunned reaction. Quite how Reading weathered so much pressure is hard to explain; what a pity they chose today to defy logic!

Reaction: Brian Flynn / Alan Pardew / Barry Hunter

WREXHAM (4-3-3): Dearden; Roche, Carey (c), Ridler (Lawrence 85), McGregor; Barrett (Blackwood 80), Ferguson, Russell; Gibson, Trundle, Morrell (Faulconbridge 35). UNUSED SUBS: Walsh, Edwards.

READING (4-4-2): Whitehead; Murty, Whitbread, Hunter, Robinson; Harper, Caskie (Igoe 64), Parkinson (c), McIntyre (Newman 80); Rougier (Cureton 70), Butler. UNUSED SUBS: Howie, Henderson.

Referee: M. J. Brandwood (Lichfield, Staffs)

Attendance: 5,080

Bookings:
Wrexham		Reading
		Hunter (foul from behind on Morrell, 29)
		Robinson (foul on Gibson, 45)

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