MATCH THREAD: Wrexham vs Farnborough
Nov 27, 2022 0:47:30 GMT
Post by hawleybootboy on Nov 27, 2022 0:47:30 GMT
Back home after having to get back home for a 50th p!ss-up... Walked into the local curry house wearing my shirt singing 'you can shove your effing Deadpool up your a...' much to the bemusement of a few patrons!
First half - what an immense performance, we were far more comfortable than against Sutton in the last round and could easily have gone in at the break a goal up - it was a proper cup tie of both teams going for it and if you'd said one team was packed with League 1&2 players in an attempt to buy promotion to the football league and the other was 36 places below them in the pyramid you'd have struggled to say who was who... Both teams were lacking in the final ball when approaching the goal which was either a testament to cracking defending, or a case of stage-fright - personally I'd say a bit of both! The dampener on an immensely enjoyable first half was seeing their 7 going-off with from what is rumoured a torn ACL after his studs caught on the turf. Never pleasant to see anything like that happen.
First half - what an immense performance, we were far more comfortable than against Sutton in the last round and could easily have gone in at the break a goal up - it was a proper cup tie of both teams going for it and if you'd said one team was packed with League 1&2 players in an attempt to buy promotion to the football league and the other was 36 places below them in the pyramid you'd have struggled to say who was who... Both teams were lacking in the final ball when approaching the goal which was either a testament to cracking defending, or a case of stage-fright - personally I'd say a bit of both! The dampener on an immensely enjoyable first half was seeing their 7 going-off with from what is rumoured a torn ACL after his studs caught on the turf. Never pleasant to see anything like that happen.
One thing very noticeable from the start and was never once addressed throughout the match was the amount of shirt pulling and wrestling that is/ was allowed. Kasimu was yanked back every time he passed a defender but was never once given a foul and considering he is greased lighting over the first 5 yards it removed one aspect from his game and prevented countless opportunities to collect passes and run through on goal. Dark arts it may be, but surely the linos and ref must have seen it, or is it something allowed the higher you go up the football tree and we are just naive over this?
Neither team really looked like creating much from open play, so when they scrambled-home a corner the wind was properly out of the crowd's sails, but what an FK from Penders to equalise - their keeper is getting pelters on their message boards over it, but it was a cracking effort.
Their goal to nudge in front was massively fortunate - the ball broke kindly to the foot of Lee about 25 yards out who in total space with pace and accuracy drove it into the top right before 'Super Jackie Turner' could even react and was a goal worthy of winning any tie.
The secret to containing and preventing Wrexham from playing is to overload the midfield and prevent the ball through to Mullin, who at this level WILL score with most chances he gets running in to space... At 75 minutes we were still level and into the realm of subs replacing tiring bodies, and whilst our squad is more than adequate at CS, we can't call upon a trio of hardened L1 players to reinvigorate the midfield like Wrexham could and this properly punished us... With their new personnel they were able to take the pressure and wait, wait, wait, then play that killer ball on the counter through the channel to Mullin who again made no mistake... The game was a fair 2-1 to them, the 4-1 was a very flattering scoreline purely like that because we had to push and chase to try and get the equaliser and what happened today is exactly what you would expect against a team of full-time pros who for the most part are playing 2 divisions below where they should really be. Whilst we could match them for skill and invention they were simply fitter, bigger and physically better than us which led to the cliche of the outcome from 75 minutes onwards.
Have to mention the call and response on the Wrexham fans - they did not know what to do with an away crowd showing a bit of passion - it was quite amusing joining in the to-and-fro with them and commendations to all in the Boro end for refraining from any accusations of the molestation of mutton by he denizens of Wrexham until they started singing 'dirty southern... people of questionable parentage' at us, at which point the gloves were off with regard to accusing them of farmyard frolics! Their stewarding was quality and quite low-key but understandably was called into action over the lobbing of smoke bombs - one of which landed in among our own supporters rather than in the empty stand below us or on the pitch. Their tannoy guy announced that today was the biggest FA Cup crowd they have had this century (beating Middlesborough 2-1 in '99 when they were in the PL was the previous largest check out the lineup ), so hats-off to all the faithful who made the journey. The half-time banter directed to certain individuals was amusing and had those who it was aimed at smiling, laughing and acknowledging it to the point even the Amazon film crew turned their mics and cameras on the away end, so you never know, a bit of the Boro faithful may feature in an episode next year about their cup run.
On the ground, I loved the look of their curved concrete main stand and when they can redevelop the derelict one behind the other goal and a bit of work they will easily have a proper rocking 20-25k capacity ground like Dean Court is now, which will serve them well as they get back to yo-yoing between L1 & the Championship which is probably their level.
It was a good away day and I wish Wrexham all the best in the cup and to win the NL title - they really seem to be a sleeping dragon stirring from its slumber having had a bit of magical Hollywood glitter sprinkled over it. From what has been said by their fans, we've given them far more of a contest than pretty much any visitor this season and the scoreline flattered them, and the away support was way beyond what they normally have... Yes it may have been our cup final, but we return with heads held high and look to push for the league playoffs and a Trophy run.