DRAGONS HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR SAM
Ricketts’ leaders keep up their early charge
MIKE FONDOP-TALOM continued his impressive early season goalscoring record as early National League leaders Wrexham bagged a third away win of the season.
It continues the bright start the Welsh side have made under new manager Sam Ricketts, who arrived at the Racecourse Ground in the summer to take his first steps into management.
Powerful striker Fondop-Talom grabbed his fourth goal in five matches as the Dragons maintained top spot with a 3-1 success against ten-man Eastleigh.
Fondop-Talom latched onto a through ball from Luke Summerfield nine minutes from time before holding off Reda Johnson and firing a low left shot past keeper Graham Stack and in off the back post.
That clinched Wrexham’s fourth win in five games after the Spitfires had provided some anxious moments following the 64th minute dismissal of centre half Andrew Boyce, who had only introduced at half-time, on 64 minutes after picking up two needless bookings in the space of three minutes for fouls on Jordan Maguire-Drew and FondopTalom.
Despite that, Eastleigh – who trailed 2-0 at the interval – hit back shortly after when Paul McCallum fired in from the edge of the area – the first goalkeeper Rob Lainton had conceded all season. Indeed, it was the first league goal put past Wrexham in a run stretching back to April 21.
Poor defending had allowed Wrexham to take a ninth minute lead when centre half Manny Smith easily lost his marker and volleyed a Summerfield free kick past keeper Graham Stack at his near post.
Three minutes later, the hosts – with only four clean sheets in their last 42 league games now – again contributed to their own downfall.
From another Summerfield freekick, centre half Alex Wynter – under no pressure – inexplicably headed over Stack, who having advanced off his line was stranded
around the penalty spot as the ball sailed into an empty net.
“The first 20 minutes was the best we have played all season,” said former Wolves defender Ricketts. “We were controlled and we were disciplined.
“Eastleigh have some good players who have played at Championship level, and I asked some questions of my players before the game. They went out and answered them.
“I want my teams to work hard, to harry the opposition. I’m a demanding manager and I’m asking a lot – and at the moment the players are giving me a lot.”
Eastleigh boss Andy Hessenthaler conceded the two early goals gave his side a mountain they could not climb.
“Wrexham are a very good side but today we made things easy for them. We didn’t deserve anything from the game and overall it’s a very frustrating afternoon.”
Of Boyce’s sending off, the manager added: “Boycey took the first yellow for the team but, having done so, you then stay on your feet and he didn’t do so. It was a tactical move to bring Boyce on at half-time for Zebroski and play with three centre halves, but it didn’t work as Boyce got sent off.”