Wrexham are left frustrated

WREXHAM ........................0 HARTLEPOOL ...................0

WREXHAM extended their unbeaten run to five matches and the same number of clean sheets at the Racecourse last night but the overwhelming feeling was of two points dropped against Hartlepool United.

The visitors, who arrived in North Wales on the back of a three-match winning streak, defended well enough but this was a contest the home side really should have won.

The Dragons’ line-up showed four changes following last Saturday’s 0-0 draw at bottom club Torquay United, a suspension and injuries prompting the mini-reshuffle.

But in front of another sizeable crowd, the home side made a promising start when Akil Wright’s speculative effort from 25 yards cannoned off a defender, the wicked deflection causing an anxious moment for wrong-footed goalkeeper Scott Loach.

Wrexham, though, failed to build on that and soon found themselves embroiled in an uncompromising battle with opponents determined not to concede an inch across the pitch and stubbornly solid at the back. Neither side came even remotely close to testing the respective goalkeepers with an on-target effort worthy of the name, although as half-time approached it was United who began to force the pace, ramping up the pressure on a Dragons’ defence that had not conceded a goal in their previous four outings.

The restart saw the introduction off the bench of Dragons’ striker Chris Holroyd, back in action for the first time since dislocating his shoulder in the opening match of the season on August 5.

But with the wind and the rain now at their backs, the visitors continued as they had left off and Rhys Oates went close to meeting a low cross that skidded across the greasy surface just in front of Wrexham’s debutant goalkeeper Callum Preston.

The Dragons had another letoff on the hour when Devante Rodney’s cross was met by Jonathan Franks, whose firm volley smashed against the bar, and as the action went into overdrive there were fine saves in both goalmouths as first Preston denied Rodney before Alex Reid raced clear to see his low drive turned around the post by Loach.