Thanks again to Rory Sheehan who will be providing match reports and feature articles
Forest Green 2 Wrexham 3
New Wrexham manager Dean Saunders began his reign with an away win at Forest Green Rovers. The Gloucestershire club had been in poor form prior to this game yet at times exposed Wrexham’s frailties giving Saunders something to ponder.
Despite having only worked with the players for a few days, Saunders made changes. Jefferson Louis returned to the starting line-up and Andy Fleming made his first appearance of the season alongside Mackin in midfield. Wes Baynes and Neil Taylor replaced the injured Spender and Tremarco while Steve Evans took over from Darran Kempson at centre-half.
Wrexham got off to the worst possible start, conceding a very early goal. It was a route-one move of the sort that Wrexham fans have become accustomed to at this level, with a long-ball down the centre latched onto by Andy Mangan, lifting the ball deftly over Ward. ‘Deano’ must have been wondering what he’d let himself in for.
Despite the setback the fairly young Wrexham side showed character in bouncing back and dominating not just the rest of the half, but most of the game. Marc Williams had a great penalty appeal turned down, Wes Baynes looked creative and Whalley forced the keeper into a save before Marc Williams grabbed the equaliser on the half hour.
Not the tallest of forwards by far, Williams was still able to get his head to the ball above anyone else from a Neil Taylor cross, planting the header home from close-range.
Wrexham continued to create chances up until half-time without converting them successfully. Just before the break the home side served a warning as to the danger they posed on the counter when Mangan was put through again. Gavin Ward did well to keep him out.
Straight after half-time, both sides went close. A surging run from Fleming released Louis to for a shot that went narrowly wide. At the other end a mistake by Nat Brown required a last-ditch block from Baynes on the dangerous Mangan. The Dragons had started to look shaky at the back again.
Mangan grabbed his second of the afternoon when he received a corner kick delivery outside of the area to drive home from long-range. Pleasingly, Wrexham were undeterred at going behind again and fought their way back into the game.
With around 25 minutes to go it was the turn of Marc Williams to double his afternoon’s tally when a long-ball from Ward was headed on by Louis into the path of Williams to coolly take his time in slotting home. The direct nature of the move would have made Brian Little proud.
It was all Wrexham from then on and as the close of the game drew near, Proctor was introduced in place of Whalley. Despite time running out Wrexham continued to press forward in search of a winner and were duly rewarded.
A chance fell to Marc Williams who drove his shot across goal, seemingly destined for his hat-trick. It was difficult to tell whether the ball would finish up the right side of the post but there was Louis to make sure, poking home to send the 300+ travelling fans, his team-mates and new manager wild.
After 4 long minutes of stoppage-time Dean Saunders was able to celebrate his first win as Wrexham manager and our first decent result in a while. The new man will have drawn a number of positives from the game, particularly the performances of homegrown youngsters Baynes, Fleming and Taylor.
However, he will also have seen plenty that needs working on over time to get our club back to where it belongs. For now though, he couldn’t have wished for a better start. Let’s hope the Saunders revival continues at home to York on Tuesday night.
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