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.