Update

Due to the poor weather there has been a lack of action locally in recent weeks hence the blog being a bit quiet. At Buckley Town alone three successive games were postponed during November.

When the action did resume at Globe Way supporters were treated to 4-4 thriller against Bethesda Athletic. My match report of that game can be found on the club's website at http://www.buckleytownfc.com/ and also now in the club's matchday programme. Buckley's next scheduled fixture at The Globe is against Penryncoch in the Cymru Alliance, 2:30 PM kick-0ff on Saturday 12th December and admission is £4 for adults, £1 concessions, children under 10 are free. It's well worth a visit for some good football, a friendly atmosphere at a progressive club and ground.

My article on the progress of North-East Wales clubs towards their application for the FAW Domestic Licence appeared in Issue 137 of Welsh Football Magazine last month. Hopefully another piece I have written will appear in Issue 138 which should be out shortly before Christmas. The publication's website site is at- http://www.welsh-football.net/.

Lastly, I have also begun writing for a website called 'A Different League' which provides intelligent insight, commentary and information on Premiership and European football. My first article, about former Wrexham, Blackburn and current Olympiakos striker Matt Derbyshire has appeared in their 'England's Future Stars' section and can be found at - http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/

Airbus UK 2-0 Newtown

With many local games in the North Wales region falling to the weather over the last week it was a nice surprise to find that this Welsh Premier fixture at The Airfield was still on. That said the prospect of getting soaked seemed to have a negative effect on the attendance although the away turn-out was good.

Broughton based hosts Airbus UK are having a good season and ground improvements notwithstanding, look on course to be a part of the reduced Welsh Premier ‘Super 12’ next season.

The away side Newtown from mid-Wales are also hoping to continue in the top-flight. Their ground is one of the league’s more impressive and should have no problems gaining a Domestic Licence. However they have struggled to find consistency so far this season and are in the wrong half of the table, though manager Darren Ryan is considered one of the Premier’s brightest prospects.

Featuring in their line-up was 18 year-old Obi Anoruo on loan from Wrexham where he made an impression at the end of last season, grabbing a couple of goals showing pace and an eye for goal.

Conditions were dreadful with swirling wind and rain throughout the game really affecting the play.

The visitors looked very poor. The Wingmakers took control of the game and went close with a few pieces of magic from Marc Lloyd-Williams creating openings in the box but firing just wide.

The veteran marksman and the league’s all-time leading goalscorer provided the only real spark in a drab game.

When Newtown did have possession they looked toothless, unable to feed their front two, supply a telling cross or provide a decent final ball.

Anoruo hardly had a kick and was subbed half-way through the second-half. His lack of presence in the game owed more to the poor quality build-up play and lack of service from his team-mates than his own frustrated efforts.

Newtown were a goal down by half-time. An Airbus corner was cleared from the 6 yard-box where Carl Owen pounced to give the home side the lead in scrappy fashion. It was nothing less than they deserved though.

Into the second-half Newtown did raise their game a little bit but defensively Airbus were more than equal to their threat.

The game was put beyond doubt in the closing stages when the away side failed to clear their lines leading goalkeeper David Maguire to race off his line. With the ball falling to Airbus midfielder Danny Desormeaux though, Maguire had strayed too far and Desormeaux comfortably placed his shot around the ‘keeper to make it 2-0.

Airbus manager Craig Harrison will be the happier of the two managers, a polished performance from his team in form puts them firmly in the top-half of the table.

The main concern will be whether they receive a grant from the Football Trust in time to increase the seating available at the Airfield ready for next season.

For Newtown, manager Darren Ryan will be looking for a response from his side in effort and performance to show they are serious about staying in the top-flight. It would be a shame if Newtown were not a part of the Welsh Premier set-up next season.

Man of the Match: Danny Desormeaux. The Airbus midfielder worked hard in the engine room throughout game and his efforts were rewarded with his well-taken goal near the end.

Wrexham 1-0 Lowestoft Town

On the FA Cup trail again with another all non-league clash, this time in the 1^st Round proper. Blue Square Premier Wrexham took on part-time Lowestoft Town from the Ryman Division One North, three leagues below the BSP.

Despite a belated improvement in results, if not performances of late, the attendance at the Racecourse was disappointing. Perhaps locals have yet to be convinced that Dean Saunders’ side have turned a corner, or the away side from Suffolk weren’t a big draw for people used to much bigger cup-ties in years gone by.

The visitors, going well in their own league, brought a few hundred supporters to cheer them on, a great turn-out for a club of their size. However, even they have savoured bigger days out recently having been to Wembley for the 2008 FA Vase final.

It was a damp, murky afternoon at the Racecourse Ground for what was, in truth, a pretty dire game from a purist’s perspective.

Lowestoft were organised well defensively and did a terrific job in stopping the trickery and pace of Jamie McCluskey and Lamine Sakho from getting beyond their back-line. Up front their bald No.9 Matt Nolan held the ball up well and worked tirelessly all afternoon.

There was little wrong with Wrexham either but for the slowness of their build-up play which has hampered them at home in a number of games this season. Experienced forward Gareth Taylor was starved of any real service, and while Wes Baynes provided a link between midfield and attack, Lowestoft goalkeeper Andy Reynolds wasn’t really tested in the first-half.

Scoreless at half-time, the game stayed that way throughout most of the second-half too as the Trawlermen remained stoic in defence but became more adventurous going forward. Wrexham introduced the blistering pace of substitute Adrian Cieslewicz in a sign of urgency and desperation to avoid a mid-November weeknight replay near the Suffolk coast.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 88^th minute. A free-kick swung into the area by Baynes found Gareth Taylor who deflected the ball into the back of the net. The sense of relief around the ground was tangible.

There was no way back for Lowestoft. The effort and work-rate from their players had matched their fans singing all game and only the most loyal of Wrexham fans would have begrudged them a replay.

Wrexham’s prize is a 2^nd Round home game to ‘League 1’ Swindon Town, where a better performance will be required to help to bring back those heady giant-killing days of the past.

Man of the Match: Wes Baynes. The versatile 21 year-old provided the majority of Wrexham’s spark. A real threat running at the Lowestoft defence with the ball at his feet and never afraid to have an attempt at goal with a wicked shot. However, it was his cool delivery from the free-kick for Taylor’s late goal which booked Wrexham’s place in the FA Cup 2^nd Round.

Chester City 0-4 Barrow

This FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round replay was a chance to catch some early Cup action, and pay a visit to a local club in dire straits.

Without getting bogged down in too much detail, Chester City FC have just a few weeks to pay their football creditors before the Football Conference (Blue Square Premier) decide on their future in the league. In other words, the club could have just weeks to live.

A home Cup replay against divisional rivals Barrow, with the prospect of another home tie in the 1st Round proper against lower non-league opposition in less than a fortnight, seemed a great opportunity for them to bank the money to keep the club going.

Unfortunately, but perhaps understandable to an extent, the Chester turn-out was poor, the tiny Deva Stadium (a cheap, predominantly breezeblock construction on an out of town trading estate) was filled with less than 1,000 home fans.

The most populated part of the ground was where the Barrow fans were housed and, to their credit, where most of the atmosphere and noise were created.

The experienced Jimmy Harvey is the latest man to take on the Chester job of overcoming their 25-points deduction in the league and give them a fighting chance of staying in the BSP.

The visitors, Barrow, had made an inconsistent start to their second season back in non-league’s top-flight. However with some canny loan signings from managerial due Dave Bayliss & Darren Sheridan recently, the Bluebirds had put together an unbeaten run with an impressive string of results.

It was Barrow who started the game the brighter. Attacking City from the off they laid siege to Chester’s goal in the opening stages and kept most of the possession for the first half hour. They just couldn’t fashion an obvious chance though, before Chester grew into the game at the end of the half and tested Barrow goalkeeper Stuart Tomlinson.

The second-half began with some good end-to-end football worthy of a Cup tie both teams had a great chance of winning. As it panned out Barrow had the greater belief and determination.

With just under 20 minutes to go the referee finally awarded Barrow a free-kick in the Chester penalty area for the third clear back-pass picked up by their goalkeeper John Danby.

Despite a wall of Chester players covering the near post to the free-kick, Barrow midfielder Andy Bond impossibly squeezed the ball through to break the deadlock and put the Cumbrian side 1-0 up.

Everything then fell apart for Chester. Two minutes later the trickery and pace of Malvin Kamara saw him tripped in the box by Kevin Roberts and a penalty awarded to Barrow. Jason Walker stepped up to send Danby the wrong way and put Barrow 2-0 up.

Two minutes later again Kamara wreaked havoc wide on the right and crossed for Bond to send a looped header into the back of the net and make it 3-0.

Barrow were in full control while confidence-shattered Chester chased shadows. One of the three late substitutions made by the away side late on made it 4-0. Teenage striker Andy Cook, on loan from Carlisle United, raced clear of the Chester defence and kept a cool head to side-foot the ball past Danby when in on goal.

A demoralising drubbing which does little for Chester or a clearly fuming Jim Harvey, but which didn’t flatter Barrow too much. The Bluebirds march on to face a home tie with Eastleigh in the FA Cup 1st Round.

Man of the Match: Darren Sheridan. At 5 foot 6 ins and 41 years-old, Barrow’s co-manager ran the game. Winning nearly every header and every tackle in midfield he put to shame players 20 years his junior in the Chester midfield. On a night when his team didn’t put a foot wrong he stood put, particularly late on when exhausted, he won the ball and sent Cook away for the 4th goal. With Dave Bayliss directing things on the touchline, and Sheridan directing play on the pitch, Barrow had the edge most of the night and deserved to progress.

Update

The blog has been quiet of late as I have taken up the position of Media Officer at ambitious Cymru Alliance club Buckley Town. It's an exciting time to join the club as they push for a Domestic Licence to eventually gain promotion to the Welsh Premier. This means that I will be at as many of their games as possible with match reports on their excellent website at http://www.buckleytownfc.com/.

I still intend to visit other clubs in the area when time allows and will continue to write features and comment.

I have also made a contribution to issue 137 of Welsh Football Magazine, an independent publication which should be available in early November - see www.welsh-football.net/

Tranmere Rovers sack John Barnes

The most inevitable managerial sacking of the season will be a cause of glee for the 'I told you so' merchants who enjoy pointing out the obvious. The departure of John Barnes and Jason McAteer from Tranmere Rovers is not cause for a full bore celebration though, even by Rovers fans who wanted them gone at least 6 weeks ago - only around 6 weeks into their brief reign.

It heaps further embarrassment on an otherwise well-run club up to recent months, following the appearance of the club for sale on ebay and the bizarre sacking of one of the Football League's most-respected managers - Ronnie Moore. The two huge errors of judgement have done little to improve owner Peter Johnson's credibility.

The club lie in the lower reaches of 'League 1' with a threadbare squad and few funds to strengthen or change. With Barnes & McAteer no doubt receiving a severance package their successor is going to have to work with what’s already there. It really could be touch or go whether Rovers stay up this season.

There are little shoots for optimism though. Rovers have a number of promising youngsters to work with, the likes of Aaron Cresswell, Ash Taylor, Charlie Barnett and Ryan Fraughan. The experience and goals of Ian Thomas-Moore, and leadership qualities of Ian Goodison will also give the new man something to build on.

Though John Barnes’ reputation will not be tarnished in the eyes of Liverpool fans, two fairly high-profile managerial stints lasting less than a year in Britain, make him damaged goods to prospective employers. Unless he’s willing to drop a long-way down the non-league pyramid and start again he’s unlikely to get a chance elsewhere.

With just 3 league and cup wins all season and poor performances to match that underwhelming statistic, its hard to argue his case for staying much longer, however much the football purists hoped it would turn around to spite the doubters.

Barnes is an idealist who wanted to see his teams play football in the right way, and there are too few of those in the lower leagues at present. It’s a shame as for lack of an experienced assistant and a bit of money to spend things may have worked out differently at Prenton Park.

Buckley Town 1-1 Llanfair PG

Last week it was an executive box at Wrexham FC, this week it was the home of Wrexham’s reserve team at local Cymru Alliance side Buckley Town. Their Globe Way Ground is an impressive set-up worthy of the Welsh Premier status that Buckley hope to eventually attain.

In previous years the club have had to forfeit promotion from the regional league to the national division due to ground grading requirements, but that should not be a problem in future.

Globe Way hosts an impressive clubhouse, plenty of covered seating and standing areas and most importantly an excellent playing surface. As a bonus the ground has the landscape of Etna Park woods as a backdrop.

Currently the team assembled by recently-appointed manager Gareth Thomas isn’t quite a match for their surroundings. After an indifferent start they lie in mid-table with promotion to next season’s Welsh Premier ‘Super 12’ beyond them unless they hit form soon.

Visiting Llanfair PG (full name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch) from near Bangor hadn’t made the best of starts either, hovering near the foot of the table and seemingly there for the taking.

The game began scrappily without either side settling down or managing to create an opening. The home side looked the livelier without really testing Llanfair goalkeeper Ben Heald.

It wasn’t until the stroke of half-time when Liam Caddick drilled the ball home from inside the area that Buckley broke the deadlock. Taking the lead at the break should have been the catalyst for them to impose their dominance and wrap up the win in the second-half.

The visitors continued to work hard in the second period though, denying the likes of Eric Ramsey the time and space in the Buckley midfield. As the clock ticked on they crept further forward and sensed opportunities.

At the other end Wes Brereton did go close for Buckley after some excellent solo work and Caddick nearly added to his goal with a fierce shot that struck the outside of a post. Buckley weren’t lacking for chances.

With around quarter of an hour to go, Llanfair snatched a deserved leveller in much the same style as Buckley’s goal.

The equaliser triggered an end-to-end game with both sides believing they could win it, both desperate to take all 3 points. Llanfair had more of the possession whereas Buckley appeared to lack a telling final ball and ideas in the final third.

Ultimately though the home side defended well, marshalled by big No.5 Paul Connelly, and ensured they held onto the draw. However they might well be kicking themselves that they didn’t win it when they had the chance – and allowed the away side back into the game.

Neither team will be totally happy with the stalemate given their positions in the table, but Llanfair will see it as a point won from a tough away game. Buckley will see it as another two dropped.

It looks as if it could be another season before this still to gel Buckley side gain the Welsh Premier status their ground and excellent facilities merit.


Man of the Match: Paul Connelly. The tall centre-half was vocal and imposing throughout. He won most things in the air at the back, kept the back-line organised and provided a threat at set-pieces at the other end.

Wrexham 0-1 Oxford United

Unsure whether to attend this fixture at first, the free tickets I’d won for one of the executive boxes at the Racecourse Ground, courtesy of the Wrexham Supporters Trust, made up my mind.

Just as tempting as the corporate hospitality on offer was the prospect of seeing unbeaten league leaders Oxford United along with Wrexham one of the bigger names currently in non-league football.

Having sampled the free buffet and armed with a free programme I took my seat in front of the box for an excellent view of the action. The conditions were perfect – sunny, not too warm, the pitch looked in great shape and ideal for two sides looking to pass the ball.

As expected the game developed into an even contest with both sides trying to get the measure of each other. Chances were at a premium and Wrexham seemed to be getting the upper hand until the visitors won a corner with half an hour gone.

The ball was swung towards the prolific James Constable who, unmarked, headed home easily to give Oxford the advantage.

Content with their lead the away side were not looking to threaten as much up to half-time, and Wrexham could only really create half-chances. This resulted in a more mundane game than many were anticipating.

The second-half began in a similar vein and though Wrexham had more possession it was Oxford who had the more clear-cut opportunities. On more than a couple of occasions young Wrexham goalkeeper Chris Maxwell was called on to make outstanding close-range saves to deny the U’s.

With just over 10 minutes remaining Wrexham were reduced to 10 men by a referee beginning to lose his grip on the game.

Veteran ex-Chelsea defender Frank Sinclair was dismissed seemingly for his reaction to a challenge on one of his team-mates. His initial reluctance to leave the field and the scrap between other players stoked the home crowd’s anger further as the atmosphere heated up.

Wrexham manager Dean Saunders was also dismissed from the dug-out for his protests as things began to turn very sour.

It had barely calmed down when amid a flurry of bookings Oxford’s Steve Kinniburgh received his second yellow card, thus earning a red one for another foul on Curtis Obeng. They too, finished the game a man short.

The match descended into farce with tactical changes and the sending off depriving Wrexham of any centre-backs, and Oxford just hitting hopeful balls downfield. Despite 6 minutes of time added on neither side were able to fashion a goal and Oxford held on for the win.

On the evidence of this performance despite their indifferent form Wrexham don’t look too far behind Oxford in terms of quality. The difference was target-man James Constable. He offered movement up front, a threat in front of goal and the physical ability to hold the ball and outmuscle the Wrexham defence.

There’s little doubt that Oxford are worthy promotion contenders under the canny Chris Wilder. It’s up to Wrexham to match their consistency week in week out.


Man of the Match: Chris Maxwell. Followed up a terrific performance in goal for Wales Under-21’s against Italy last week with a faultless display for Wrexham today. Kept the Dragons in the game. For Oxford, James Constable and his goal was the main difference between the two teams.

Airbus UK 3-1 Haverfordwest County

An overcast afternoon spent in the shadow of the giant Airbus factory in Broughton, near Chester, provided the backdrop for my for my first taste of Welsh Premier action of this season.

The hosts Airbus UK are a well-run friendly club based within the grounds of the plane-making factory and runway. The Airfield is a welcoming little ground with a social club on one side and a covered, seated stand on the other.

The ‘Wingmakers’ aren’t big-hitters in Wales’s top flight but have held their own since promotion 5 years ago. Managed by former Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace midfielder Craig Harrison, notable amongst their ranks are the Welsh Premier’s all-time top goalscorer Marc Lloyd-Williams and ex-Wrexham goalkeeper Kristian Rogers.

The away side Haverfordwest had made a better start to the season under ex-Man.U defender Derek Brazil and are a solid Welsh Premier outfit.

The game began at a good tempo and as with a lot of part-time non-league football was end to end with plenty of committed challenges. Gradually the home side were on top and took the lead shortly before half-time.

The visitors’ otherwise excellent goalkeeper Lee Idzi spilled the ball when collecting it in an aerial challenge, only to see it fall to Carl Owen. The tall No.9 did the hard work in creating the angle to slot home.

Haverfordwest came out after the break visibly fired up and were back on terms almost immediately. A fierce Robbie Walters shot cannoned off the underside of the bar beating Rogers and landing just over the goal-line for the equaliser.

Airbus were still the better side though and regained the lead through Marc Lloyd-Williams. Controlling the ball on his chest in the area he found the space to turn and lash home one of his trademark goals to make it 2-1.

Lloyd-Williams then turned provider to wrap up the points sending over a cross for hard-working midfielder Matty Cook to volley the 3rd goal. Haverfordwest couldn’t complain, they were second best for much of the afternoon and created fewer chances.

It was the first win of the season for Airbus. With the top-flight restructuring next season meaning fewer teams involved, they stand as good a chance as any of making up the ‘Super 12’. Like most sides in the division they draw regular crowds of just a few hundred people but their facilities and on-field play could make the difference.

Haverfordwest should be in with a shout of making the cut too, but will have to improve their performances on this showing.


Man of the Match: Marc Lloyd-Williams. Still leading the league’s goalscoring charts at the age of 36, the veteran striker continues to show why he had spells in the Football League and is one of the most-feared strikers domestically. Diminutive and hard-working, he showed his class by scoring his 5th of the season and creating the assist for Cook’s goal.

Wrexham 0-0 Barrow

With surprisingly little Bank Holiday football on offer it was back to the Racecourse Ground for more non-league Blue Square Premier action.

Following two more surprise defeats to against Kettering and Tamworth recently, the pressure on Wrexham manager Dean Saunders had increased slightly.

As for the visitors, I must admit I have a soft spot for the Cumbrian club. Their joint-manager ex-Wrexham centre-back Dave Bayliss gave me one of my early interviews when I started out in journalism a couple of years ago.

Forthright, knowledgeable about the game and an all round top bloke, since taking over with Darren Sheridan less than 2 years ago their transformation of Barrow’s fortunes has been remarkable.

Barrow’s right-back, Simon Spender along with centre-half Phil Bolland made up a trio of former Wrexham players in the Bluebirds squad. After stepping up to full-time training during the summer though, like Wrexham, they have made a mixed start.

The away side set their stall out early on to contain and frustrate the Dragons and it worked. Wes Baynes, a right-wing-back pushed into a new forward role, he looked likeliest to break Barrow’s resolve with his creativity and willingness to shoot, testing goalkeeper Tim Deasy.

It wasn’t all defensive work for Barrow and when pushing forward Spender fired a long-range shot that sailed just over the top corner. Overall though there were few chances with Wrexham content to keep possession along their back-line and play in front of the Barrow back four when they ventured forward.

Following possibly the worst comedian / half-time entertainment ever seen at the Racecourse, the game unfolded in much the same way as the first-half. Both sides did have one golden opportunity to break the deadlock however.

Barrow’s highly-rated forward Jason Walker turned Wrexham skipper Ashley Westwood and fired a shot across the front of goal narrowly wide. At the other end roles reversed as Westwood’s powerful header from a corner was headed off the line by Walker.

The game’s talking point occurred with 15 minutes to go when attention was drawn to a touchline row. Dave Bayliss had stormed out of his technical area to confront Westwood who appeared in an ‘off-the-ball’ incident to have left Barrow striker Jon Shaw with a bloodied face and shirt.

No action was taken against Westwood while Bayliss was escorted down the tunnel after trying the patience of the officials with his angry protests. In the end he didn’t miss much.

Despite changes made by Saunders Barrow did a professional job of holding onto their point. They were arguably the better side in the last 10 minutes and had they shown a little more ambition, could have stolen a win.

Barrow earned the result and clean sheet they came for and should improve again on last season.

Wrexham must see this as another 2 points dropped even at this early stage. Though teams above them will drop points, they currently don’t look capable of putting together a sustained run themselves yet and still struggle against the so called lesser teams of this division.


Man of the Match: Wes Baynes. Difficult to choose, but Baynes has adapted well to his new role and came closer than anyone to making something happen for Wrexham. It’s hard to pick out an individual for Barrow as their point came as a result of a real team performance.

Tranmere Rovers 0-4 Charlton Athletic

Tranmere Rovers will always hold a special place in this writer’s heart. In the mid 1990’s through their excellent ‘Football in the Community’ initiative I received my introduction to live football at my local club. Those were heady days when under Johnny King Rovers challenged for promotion to the Premiership with the likes of John Aldridge, Pat Nevin and Gary Stevens turning out for them.

The all-seater Prenton Park is still impressive and off the field Rovers continue to provide excellent service in all departments, but on the pitch currently it’s a different matter. The Wirral club are now an established League 1 rather than Championship side and financial constraints look likely to keep it this way at best.

Over the summer the fairly popular, experienced manager Ronnie Moore was replaced by Liverpool legend John Barnes for no other reason it seems than to raise the club’s profile. Though the style of football under Moore tended to be functional and pragmatic at times, it took Rovers to within a few minutes of the play-offs last season.

The visitors Charlton Athletic have experienced an even quicker decline. A Premiership side just two years ago, their fall has been alarming given their own reputation for being a stable, well-run club. Under the guidance of Phil Parkinson though, they look well placed to bounce back.

From the opening whistle Charlton had Tranmere penned back deep in their own half. The Addicks kept possession, moved the ball around and toyed with Rovers without creating a clear-cut chance. It was a long while before Rovers were able to venture forward, let alone fashion a chance for themselves.

The away side’s dominance paid off on 25 minutes when teenager Jonjo Shelvey excellently sidestepped a challenge before sending over a deep cross powerfully headed home by Lloyd Sam.

Two minutes later a similar move saw Deon Burton set up Jose Semedo to finish for the second goal. Rovers managed to keep the scoreline down to 2-0 at half-time but were being badly let-down by an almost non-existent midfield.

John Barnes made a double substitution at half-time which saw ex-England striker Michael Ricketts introduced. He had little time to make an impact before Rovers were 3-0 down.

On 48 minutes Lloyd Sam netted his second of the game from close-range following a Kelly Youga cross. Understandably Charlton dropped off a little without relinquishing their grip on the game.

The hard-working Ian Thomas-Moore and Terry Gornell were forced to feed off scraps up front for Tranmere, though teenage substitute Ryan Fraughan injected some life into their performance. Small, nippy and with good control he was not afraid to cut inside in trying to make things happen.

With just over 20 minutes to go Charlton completed the rout, Nicky Bailey finding the ball at his feet just outside the area to lash home impressively.

The game petered out as Charlton retained possession well and a bedraggled Tranmere kept going through the motions to the end. The final whistle was cue for a chorus of boos from the Prenton Park faithful distinctly unimpressed with this showing, and their start to the season overall.

Charlton look a safe bet for an immediate return to the ‘Championship’ having won all 5 of their games so far. They look well-balanced, well-organised and packed with quality in all areas of their side.

Unfortunately Tranmere could be facing a long-season and a relegation battle. John Barnes has some talented youngsters and experienced pro’s to work with, but it’s a small squad seemingly lacking in confidence, and he has little money to bolster it. Midfielders Paul McLaren, John Welsh and Alan Mahon were second best all game but will surely perform better in future outings.


Man of the Match: Jonjo Shelvey. It’s difficult to believe the tall, bald, hunched all-action midfielder is only 17 years-old. His potential is frightening. Already a key influence in Charlton’s first-team he was everywhere, outstanding on the ball and helped run the game from start to finish. He just edged out his lively, tricky, two-goal team-mate Lloyd Sam. The hype surrounding Shelvey though is fully merited and it’s surely only a matter of time before he leaves ‘League 1’ for the Premiership.

Wrexham 1-0 York City

The first evening kick-off of the season saw a swift return to the Racecourse Ground for Wrexham’s second home game of the season. After surprisingly losing away to Crawley Town at the weekend they needed to bounce back quickly.

Mid-week games always carry a slightly different atmosphere, especially in the summer when the game kicks off in bright sunshine, but as the light fades throughout the evening, the floodlights see it to its conclusion.

The visitors York City are another former Football League club to have lost their way slightly in the Blue Square Premier. They only ensured safety from relegation in only their penultimate fixture last term, but did make it to the FA Trophy Final losing to Stevenage at Wembley.

Managed by Martin Foyle, assistant to Brian Little at Wrexham just a year ago, their line-up featured two former Dragons. Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Michael Ingham was a popular figure at the club in two separate spells, while midfielder Levi Mackin came up through the ranks at the Racecourse.

Within the first few minutes of the game Wrexham goalkeeper Sam Russell was called into action to save from Michael Gash who had exploited Wrexham’s defensive unease.

The away team looked much the better side and ironically, given that Foyle was part of a management team that favoured a ‘route-one’ approach during his time at Wrexham, they passed the ball along the ground well.

Wrexham didn’t seem to get going and created very little at all going forward. Striker Matty Wolfenden toiled hard up front but to no avail. With no real link between the midfield and forward line he was feeding off scraps.

The previously impressive Hedi Taboubi was ineffective, second in most midfield challenges and poor in his distribution.

In contrast was the performance of Mackin for York. Many a time when he was at Wrexham he had been the object of fans frustration, often unfairly. Now he looked confident, composed, showed an excellent range of passing and no little skill on the ball dictating the play at the heart of York’s midfield.

For the quality of their possession however, York also lacked bite up front with Rankine and Gash failing to stretch Wrexham’s back four. The score remained goalless at half-time.

Into the second period Wrexham manager Dean Saunders made an inspired change swapping the hard-work of Wolfenden for the lightning speed of Adrian Cieslewicz. The Pole’s pace saw him get beyond the York defence, playing his part in a move that finished with a goal for Gareth Taylor.

The 36 year-old looked to be offside as he glanced home an Andy Fleming cross, but if he was, it evened out the many occasions when Wrexham have been on the receiving end of poor decisions from officials in this division.

Chasing the game at 1-0 down with half-an-hour left, York did now revert to a long-ball game. They introduced Richard Brodie and Adam Smith specifically for the purpose. This was countered when Saunders replaced Taboubi with Christian Smith to close the game down which he did with effect.

Wrexham had done enough to take the 3 points though a draw might have been a fairer reflection of the game. Both teams played well in parts, and though Wrexham might get punished for such a slow start against the better teams in this league, they appear to be over their blip at Crawley.

On the evidence of this performance York should do much better than last season’s limp over the finish line in avoiding relegation, looking good enough for mid-table at least.


Man of the Match: Silvio Spann. The Trinidad & Tobago international received a standing ovation when he was substituted towards the end and rightly so. Something of a misfit as a midfielder in his first two years at Wrexham, since being converted to right-back during pre-season he has been a revelation and not put a foot wrong. Levi Mackin was York City’s leading candidate for the award.

Everton 1-6 Arsenal

What better way to open the new Premiership season than with a meeting of two of English football’s grand old teams at one of the country’s great old stadiums. Though certain areas of Goodison Park are showing their age, it is a little cramped and a number of pillars obstruct the view, it will be a very sad day when the Toffees leave a home rich in atmosphere and steeped in history.

The not-so-traditional 5:30 PM kick-off, in order that the ESPN channel could broadcast one of their first Premiership games, ensured that a spell of heavy afternoon rain had subsided by the time the action started.

Centre-back Joleon Lescott received a mixed reception from the home fans over his ongoing Manchester City transfer saga, and the minute’s applause for the late Sir Bobby Robson was warm and genuine. Despite limited transfer activity by both clubs this summer hope and optimism still prevailed among both sets of supporters.

Many anticipated a tight affair with last season’s FA Cup finalists Everton using their well-organised, hard-working, functional approach to contain a vibrant young Arsenal side, playing their own imitation of Total Football, spearheaded by Robin Van Persie and Andriy Arshavin.

As it transpired Everton disappointed by beginning the game sluggishly and off-the-pace, as if they were still in pre-season. Arsenal were first to most loose balls and when Everton did receive possession they were quickly dispossessed. Arsene Wenger’s young guns showed a work ethic to match their quick fluid passing game.

The opening goal arrived on 25 minutes when Denilson curled a beautiful shot past Tim Howard from outside the area. Everton seemed unable to raise their game in response to the setback and the pattern for the rest of the match was set.

By half-time the Gunners had added two more goals, both headers from central defenders Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas at woefully defended set-pieces.

Two minutes after the break Cesc Fabregas was given the freedom of Goodison to run at the heart of the Everton defence. Even as he burst into the penalty area the Everton back-line left him unchallenged to make it 4-0 with a cool finish.

As Arsenal sat back knowing they’d been gifted the three points the home side ventured forward but the nature of their attacks were feeble, limp and unthreatening. The disgruntlement of the home fans was summed up by their frustration at right-back Tony Hibbert’s inability to clear the first man with any of his crosses.

Hibbert was soon put out of his misery along with the ineffectual Jo and Osman as youngsters Gosling, Rodwell and senior striker Louis Saha entered the fray. It was too little too late, and shortly after Arsenal broke away resulting in another close-range goal for Fabregas as the Everton defence and midfield went AWOL again.

Still with 20 minutes to go, Goodison began to empty. Evertonians were angry, hurt and disbelieving at their team’s sorry performance, unable to take any more.

With a couple of minutes remaining more abysmal defending inside their own penalty area by Everton let Arsenal sub Eduardo fire home in after a scramble to make it 6-0.

Mercifully for Everton it did not get any worse. In stoppage-time Saha hit a sweetly-struck consolation for the home fans brave enough to stick it out to the bitter end.

Not only was the scoreline unusual for the opening game of the season but the nature of the home side’s performance was mystifying. Manager David Moyes runs a tight ship and though it’s clear the club has been rocked slightly by the Lescott saga (ironically one of their better performers in this match), it was still inexcusable.

The likes of Fellaini, Cahill , Jo, even the ever-dependable Phil Neville, simply failed to show. If they don’t get it together soon they could be battling in the wrong half of the table.

As for Arsenal, the future looks bright. The Gunners appeared capable of stepping up another couple of gears if required and were not only competent but very easy on the eye when in possession. They might not be title-winning contenders quite yet but they don’t look likely to struggle for a top 4 finish as some observers are predicting.


Man of the Match: Thomas Vermaelen. A very assured debut for the £10 million signing from Ajax. Though obviously not tested as much as he should have been, he showed enough to suggest Arsene Wenger was right to let Kolo Toure go. At 23-years-old, the Belgian centre-back has his best years ahead of him and his goal highlighted his threat at the other end of the pitch. For Everton, Steven Pienaar comes closest to meriting the award for effort alone.

Wrexham 3-0 Eastbourne Borough

Beginning the 2009-10 season with a trip to the Racecourse Ground to see Wrexham play hosts to Eastbourne Borough, it was difficult to know what to expect from this BSP opener.

Last term, Wrexham’s first season in non-league’s Blue Square Premier was a mixed bag even after the appointment of the likeable, hard-working and charismatic Dean Saunders as manager in October. A dream cocktail of attractive and winning football had Reds fans dreaming until it all tailed off disappointingly in both results and performance from February onwards.

Off the pitch, the large terrace Kop end at the Racecourse still stands empty awaiting a major redevelopment long in planning but slow in progress, leaving the historic ground 3-sided for the foreseeable future.

Whether the development will eventually generate enough profit to pay the clubs debts and secure its long-term future is a source of worry for Wrexham fans. There are few guarantees other than the word of the club’s hierarchy that should there be any hitches, the club and the ground will be safeguarded.

The visitors, Eastbourne Borough visited the Racecourse last December. They were hammered 5-0, a high point in Dean Saunders early days in charge and perhaps not a true reflection of the South Coast side in their otherwise impressive BSP debut season.

A crowd of just 3,726 (Eastbourne bringing fewer than 50 travelling fans) was perhaps less than expected for the first match of a new season. To their credit the home support made plenty of noise and atmosphere with optimism running high around the ground.

The game began with Wrexham setting the pace. With a large turnover in players during the summer it was impressive to see that a host of new signings have gelled quickly and confidently. The pick of the bunch, Hedi Taboubi dictated play in midfield while Adrian Cieslewicz provided a good outlet wide on the right with his blistering pace.

For all their attractive play however, Wrexham were unable to properly carve open a resolute Eastbourne side lacking in the quality to compete in an attacking sense. The visitors grew into the game though, without really threatening going forward, as the tempo slowed and Wrexham dropped back.

10 minutes before half-time Wrexham were awarded a free-kick in an inviting position just outside the penalty area. Taboubi stepped up and with no little power curled home the opening goal beautifully to lift the crowd and the game as a spectacle.

Not long into the second-half it was over as a contest. Cieslewicz’s speed on the break proved too much for Neil Jenkins who gave away a penalty in trying to stop the young Pole. The spot-kick was despatched confidently by veteran Welsh international Gareth Taylor.

Taylor grabbed his second goal of the game shortly afterwards. He used his height and strength to latch on to a long-ball, getting in between Neil Baker and goalkeeper Danny Knowles and lifting the ball into the net to make it 3-0.

Overall, an encouraging performance from Wrexham which hints that, though it is early days, they may well be up there challenging at the end of the season. There’ll be less encouragement for Eastbourne and their small but dedicated away following. They might struggle to match last season’s 13th place finish but look to have enough to beat the drop in 8 months time.


Man of the Match: Hedi Taboubi. The slight, bald, goatee sporting Frenchman is quickly becoming a cult hero with the Racecourse faithful. On the evidence of this performance, topped off with his excellent free-kick for the opening goal, it is easy to see why.