Lainton injured as Wrexham have to settle for a point

ROB Lainton was stretchered off at Hayes Lane for the second consecutive season as Wrexham and Bromley played out a goalless draw.

Lainton was injured pulling off a fine double save to keep the visitors level, in a match in which both teams had periods on top without being able to make it count.

Luke Coulson had a goal disallowed for offside for the hosts, while Ollie Palmer headed into the side-netting for the Red Dragons, but neither team could find a way through.

It means Wrexham’s winning streak ends, but the visitors are still unbeaten in their last eight consecutive matches in all competitions.

Wrexham made four changes from the team which started against Notts

County in the Buildbase FA Trophy quarter-final.

Lainton, Reece Hall-Johnson, Ollie Palmer and Paul Mullin all returned to the starting line-up, while Jordan Davies returned to the bench after his recent injury.

Michael Cheek had a gilt-edged chance on six minutes, when Ben Tozer headed Joe Partington’s cross into the air, but the Bromley striker failed to control at the back post.

At the other end, Luke Young’s rightwing corner drifted right across the goalmouth on ten minutes but Aaron Hayden headed wide at the back post.

Wrexham fans packed into the soldout stand on the far side then thought Palmer had headed the visitors in front on 22 minutes, after Hall-Johnson’s hanging cross, but it was actually into the side-netting.

The Red Dragons were forced into their first change at half-time, as Aaron Hayden was replaced by Tyler French.

Wrexham went straight onto the attack, and Mullin’s header was saved by Ellery Balcombe within a minute of the restart.

Coulson then went close for Bromley on 54 minutes, letting a long ball drop and firing wide across goal.

Davies replaced McAlinden for Wrexham just a couple of minutes later, but Phil Parkinson was forced into a third change when Lainton was injured making a brilliant double save.

Lainton stayed down, however, and was eventually stretchered off – sat up but in obvious discomfort – to be replaced by Christian Dibble.

James Jones fired over when French laid Ben Tozer’s long throw back to him on 71 minutes, while Billy Bingham could not get his feet sorted when the ball fell to him in the 75th at the other end.

Coulson had the ball in the net on 77 minutes, after cutting inside Dibble and firing in low, but the offside flag cut short his celebrations.

For Wrexham, Davies’ 20-yard free-kick was deflected over by the wall on 79 minutes, and Hall-Johnson’s left-footed effort, after cutting inside, went the same way in the 82nd minute.