“Call The Cops” – Wrexham Supporters React To Imps Win

November 28, 2024 Gary Lincoln City 0

Credit Graham Burrell

Tuesday night saw City run out underserved losers in a tight fixture which saw us dominate the majority of the game. Wrexham also managed to continue their excellent home record, writes Kyle Fox.

The fast few games have caused frustration to increase within the fan base and I’m sure within the dressing room as the performances this month have gradually improved. From Bristol Rovers to Exeter to Wycombe to Wrexham, our performances have improved overall game-on-game, in my opinion. Last night was the most irritating as it was a game in which we were the better side for most of the game.

Credit Graham Burrell

We created a plethora of chances and play some really good football but only managed to have one shot on target in the game. We made 14 chances in total but lacked the quality on the night to execute the final action when we created those chances was disappointing. It’s a conundrum for Michael Skubala on how to fix it but I’m sure he will. The performances are getting better, last night was evidence of that. The goals will come if we maintain the performance levels of last night.

Phil Parkinson spoke about this in his post match interview when asked about how pleased he was to come away with a win after a tough game; “Well we always knew it would be that type of game, because Lincoln are a good team. They’re (Lincoln) a strong league one outfit. They’re athletic, they’re a good structured team- it was always going to be tight and one moment separated the two teams on the night.”

Going in to the game, there were similarities drawn between the two sides in the way they play. Especially out of possession as both sides like to let their opposition have the ball and counter press to win the ball back. Both sides also like to move the ball forward quickly when they get it back and put pressure on the opposition’s defence.

Credit Graham Burrell

However, because of this something had to give from one of the sides. Both sides can’t have 40% possession and just sit off each other waiting. Something had to shift and it did. For me before the game, I expected Wrexham to have more of the ball, even with the knowledge of how they play, because we still maintain the lowest possession stats in the league and the onus was on them due to them playing at home. The stats back that up as well as Wrexham had 56% possession in total to our 44%.

This worked in our favour too, because in the first half I thought we counter pressed really well and troubled them in possession at the back and in their half with our aggressive press. They also had more of the ball than they’re used to which makes them play differently in build up. That also worked to our advantage. This waned away gradually in the second half which you’d expect as the game goes on and energy levels deplete more and more.

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We caused them quite a few problems in the early stages of the game from set pieces with Paudie O’Connor being at the heart of that, causing mayhem in the Wrexham penalty area. He was involved in at least 3 of the chances we had in the first half. Our only shot on target of the half and the entire game also came from a set piece as Cadamarteri glanced a header towards goal from almost 18 yards out. It lacked power but Burton in the Wrexham net still had to parry the ball out as he saw it late. Bailey also had a chance later in the half after O’Connor headed the ball back into the box, which caused issues, and the ball dropped at his feet. He snatched at it and it sailed over the bar.

Those chances go along with Jack Moylan’s two efforts from slightly further out. All in all, the chances should have seen us at least 1-0 up going into the break.

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The second half followed the same theme really. We were the better side overall, we played more good and impressive football and had everything apart from the final product. We created good opportunities, but unfortunately nothing more than that.

I was sat with my family watching the game and just before half time after we had not made the most of another opportunity, we all said the same thing. That was essentially, ‘we need to make the most of this otherwise we’ll probably lose the game.’

I feel like I see this kind of thing happen all the time in football and it always ends up going the same way. A team will dominate the majority of the early stages (like we did last night), create opportunities and not score or maybe just score one. Then, later in the game the opposition will score one or two against the run of play and win the game. It’s bizarre but I feel it’s a consistent theme throughout modern day football matches.

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Red Dragons boss Phil Parkinson didn’t see it this way though, as he also said this in his interview; “We’ve had some great chances to make the game look more comfortable.- We had other moments to put the game out of sight.”

It’s hard to disagree with that as much as we squandered the many chances we made, Wrexham made a handful of good chances and could have had more than one themselves. As I mentioned, Ollie Palmer had a great chance a few yards out, Lewis Brunt hit the bar with a header, and Paul Mullin also had a free header, which he put straight at Wickens late in the game.

Credit Graham Burrell

The breakthrough in the game came in the 67th minute, ironically as the only time one our players could score a goal on the night and it was at the wrong end. Wrexham worked the ball from left to right through George Dobson who cut in from the right flank and travelled inside. He then fired the ball out to McClean on the left flank, who fired the ball into our six-yard box. Unfortunately, Darikwa was the unfortunate victim of this as he tried to clear the ball and got it all wrong as he ended up shanking it into his own net. Always a devastating way to concede a goal, especially through our best-performing player so far this season and how the game had gone overall.

We then came forward once again looking for the elusive goal. Moylan had another couple of attempts on goal, his one from the edge of the box just slid past the post. Makama arguably with the best chances of the game was put through on goal twice and squandered both chances. Rob Street came on and also had a chance, a nice touch in the area followed by a good effort which got past the defenders and once again just went past the post. It really wasn’t to be for us last night.

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