FURIOUS KEV HAS A POINT TO MAKE

TORQUAY UNITED manager Kevin Nicholson claimed his side were denied a vital three points in their battle against relegation following a match of two penalty kicks at the Racecourse.

Home striker Izale McLeod appeared to handle the ball before winning a spot-kick from a collision with Gulls’ goalkeeper Brendan Moore that was converted by youngster George Harry to register his first senior goal for Wrexham.

That goal came completely against the run of play and, although the Gulls equalised through a penalty of their own 12 minutes from time, Nicholson said he felt shortchanged.

“I think we deserved to win overall because we dominated in the first half,” he said. “I think the term is ‘gamesmanship’ and I can’t say anything too controversial but it was a good catch from Izale followed by a good throwing himself to the floor. “Our lads handled it well and then after that had two or three chances we should have scored before we got the penalty.” Wrexham’s Chris Dunn was by far the busier of the two keepers with three first half saves, while Moore enjoyed a comfortable 45 minutes, the Dragons’ only opening coming at the end of the half as McLeod headed Mark Carrington’s cross over the bar. Within a minute of the restart McLeod’s sleight of hand temporarily put the visitors on the back foot but United were superior in every aspect save finishing, as bothDan Sparkes and former Dragon Shaun Harrad fired wide with only Dunn to beat. But the visitors’ luck changed in the 78th minute when Luke Young teased a penalty box trip out of Russell Penn and substitute Jamie Reid equalised from the spot. Disappointed Wrexham boss Dean Keates slammed his side’s display, saying: “I wasn’t at all pleased. There was a lack of desire and enthusiasm out there.”