Thanks again to Rory Sheehan who will be providing match reports and feature articles.
York 1 Wrexham 0
Wrexham were brought back down to earth with a bump after Stevenage with this disappointing game live in front of the Setanta TV cameras.
The only change from the line-up on Saturday was Christian Smith replacing the suspended Levi Mackin. York have ex-Wrexham goalkeeper Michael Ingham on their books but he missed the game through injury.
We looked like we might hit our stride in the opening exchanges but gradually the home team grabbed a hold of the game but without threatening too much. Richard Brodie went closest for them with a deflected shot over the bar.
At the other end Shaun Whalley had an opportunity and it seemed as if we might get a bit of luck when York’s goalkeeper, on loan from Birmingham, Artur Krysiak left the field injured. He was replaced by young reserve Josh Mimms who unfortunately proved to be just as competent.
Frustratingly for Wrexham fans our play tended to be just as conservative in the second-half as it had been in the first, though we had the odd moment. Aiston powered in a low shot but Mimms was equal to it.
We were dealt a blow when Nat Brown, suffering with a thigh injury, was replaced by Steve Evans. The change unsettled the defence a little, and we lost a bit of composure at the back.
With 20 minutes to go a cleared Wrexham corner was met by a thunderbolt of a shot by Carl Tremarco which Mimms did well to stop. He just about managed to tip the ball out for another corner.
That should have given us the incentive to really go for the win but you always felt Little would settle for a point from this game. Unfortunately we would leave with less than that. No positive changes were forthcoming.
Encouraged York put a good move together that resulted in a corner after a fine save by Gavin Ward. Unfortunately Ward’s good work went to waste once the corner was taken as we conceded a goal he was partly to blame for.
From the corner Mark Greaves got up well at the back post to head home from close range. It has to be said he was totally unmarked for which Ward can justifiably blame his team-mates. However, when the ball had travelled so closely to him, he really should have been able to deal with it himself.
That goal came with just over 10 minutes to go. Marc Williams and Wes Baynes were hastily brought on in place of Simon Brown and Jefferson Louis. They had little time to take effect and we slumped to our first defeat of the season.
Many Wrexham fans might argue that Little should have had a Plan B for when the goal went in, but in truth, there would hardly have been any time to implement one. A different approach from the start should have been adopted.
York are tipped to do well this season but on this evidence they are nothing particularly special. Had we been positive in attacking them, rather than leaving a frustrated Louis to toil up front on his own for most of the game, we might even have taken 3 points. However we paid the price for being overly cautious and at times too basic in lumping the ball forward.
Hopefully lessons will have been learned before the Sunday visit to Rushden & Diamonds, another pre-season favourite to be near the top at the season’s end...
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