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The Newport match built on the achievement s at Bath as Wrexham continued to offer their fans something they’ve not experienced for some time: grounds for cautious optimism.

Perhaps most pleasing (possibly to the F.A.W. as much as Wrexham!) was further evidence of Dean Saunders’ developing ability to make the right tactical calls in matches; this was another game in which he seemed to be a step ahead of his opposing number as a number of his changes directly influenced the pattern of the game.

Having said that, his team suffered its customary slow start, although the mitigating circumstances of Marvin Andrews’ withdrawal during the warm-up and a slippery surface made it slightly more understandable than usual.

However, it was apparent that Newport were enjoying a great deal of success down the flanks, as I’d suggested in the match preview. With no midfield cover offered to the full backs by Wrexham’s 4-1-2-3, Morgan and Henry caused numerous problems early on, with the playmaker Rose allowed ample time in midfield to feed them.

However, this was where Saunders started to get things right. His central midfielders began to press more effectively higher up the pitch, and it was notable how deep Rose was having to go to receive the ball in space. All of a sudden he was trying to find the wingers, who continued to push up onto Obeng and Ashton, with long passes which were consistently going astray;

The starting line-ups

as a result Newport’s threat when the game was eleven versus eleven effectively ended around the quarter hour.

With the shoe on the other foot, Wrexham began to show what they could do in an attacking capacity. While Andy Morrell’s bravura solo efforts up front are now almost being taken for granted (Andy Mangan appositely described him as a “warrior” after the game!) it was good to see Nat Knight-Percival turn in as good a performance as he’s managed since his impressive debut, making excellent runs inside to support the striker and posing a genuine threat.

Wrexham’s extra man in midfield was now starting to pay dividends; it was all a far cry from the Forest Green game which started similarly but in which Saunders’ side were incapable of turning things round.

Wrexham looked very comfortable while it was eleven against eleven,

This picture illustrates neatly the problems Newport posed in the opening phase of the match through their width. The widemen stretched Wrexham’s back four, and their own formation failed to offer cover for the full backs.

Here Morgan (orange) hugs the left  touchline and Gall (blue) maintains his position high up the pitch, so Obeng has to stay close to his man, creating a huge gap between him and the left-sided centre back.

and frankly things didn’t change all that much after Neil Ashton was sent off. Admittedly, things might have been different had Craig Reid not slipped as he hit his penalty, skewing it up onto the bar, but the fact is that Wrexham played better with ten men than they ever have before under Dean Saunders.

It’s an indication of the poor disciplinary record Wrexham have had under Saunders that they’ve had players sent off in twelve of the hundred and one games he has been in charge of! Regularly they have gone too negative in response to losing a player, and as a result, their record in those games is poor.

They’ve won one, drawn four and lost seven, but behind those figures lies a story. In the victory, against Mansfield last season, Christian Smith was dismissed in injury time when his side were already ahead, so it made no difference to the outcome. Likewise, Frank Sinclair was sent off in injury time at Wimbledon, his transgression giving away a penalty which cost Wrexham a win, and a further two of those draws were at home against sides which were looking primarily to keep a clean sheet in Gateshead and Altrincham, Only when Sinclair was sent off again, Altrincham once more being the beneficiaries, have Wrexham looked to continue to attack with ten men under Saunders, and even then they conceded the lead they held when they went down to ten men,

The line-ups after the red card

A couple of pictures which show Christian Smith’s role after Neil Ashton’s dismissal. He sat right in front of the back four (blue), winning plenty of aerial challenges. The above picture shows the 4-1-3-1 formation clearly.

A typical example of Wrexham’s approach to losing a man under Saunders was seen at Kidderminster last season. Silvio Spann was dismissed just after a quarter of an hour, and Wrexham retreated into their shell despite there being so long to go in the match, They defended heroically and got to half time on level terms, but inevitably Kidderminster made a breakthrough eventually, and the game was effectively over..

This time Saunders did not go defensive though. Pushing Nat Knight-Percival to left back he switched to a 4-1-3-1 which not only looked stable, but allowed Wrexham to remain as threatening as Newport until the closing stages, when the game inevitably became a contest between a side throwing the kitchen sink at the other.

Admittedly, the personnel undoubtedly helped the situation. Morrell ran himself into the ground, occupying the back four and offering an excellent outlet. Contrast that with the afore-mentioned Kidderminster game and the ineffectual efforts of Lamine Sakho as he chased shadows on his own up front.

As a result of Morrell’s efforts, the midfield three didn’t have to commit themselves forwards rashly as they knew Morrell would be able to keep the ball in the Newport half as they made their way up in support.

Wrexham’s efforts were also helped by the fact that, in Dean Keates, they

had a midfielder who was able to use the ball intelligently, either in attack or quite simply to retain possession, probably for the first time since Darren Ferguson left. He was ably assisted by Jay Harris and Kevin Gall, who impressed with his energy on the right of the midfield three and eagerly assisted Curtis Obeng. In fact, despite being down to ten men, Wrexham’s use of the ball in general was massively better than it has been over the last three or four seasons; there was little panic and only Obeng and Sinclair were likely to squander possession.

With Christian Smith sitting even deeper than before in front of the back four, Newport were finding it impossible to force their way through, and in front of him Keates, Harris and Gall sat narrow, further restricting space through the middle.

The obvious route for Newport to take was to continue to press down the wings, but Holdsworth eschewed that option and withdrew both Henry and Morgan, a surprising move but an indication of how well Wrexham had strangled the supply to them.

Instead he opted to do what he had previously promised he wouldn’t do and go for the long ball. With Wrexham clearly lacking height after Andrews’ withdrawal, Holdsworth pushed the tall Foley up on the left flank and eventually sent the centre back Warren up front too. However, Wrexham sought to avoid defending too deep, so the long balls weren’t troubling them massively, and when a chance did present itself, Scott Shearer was alert and able to foil them. In fact, the main danger tended to come from a high number of free kicks conceded in their own half, often by Jay Harris, whose energy was admirable, but whose desire to challenge aggressively for the ball needed to be curbed.

Still, Wrexham looked like they would survive fairly comfortably until Blackburn slipped in the wet and diverted the ball to the scorer Knights. It was a cruel conclusion to a controlled performance which deserved greater reward.