Match Report: Wrexham 3 Yeovil Town 0

Yeovil Town’s FA Cup run came to an end in the Hollywood Hills of North Wales as two first half goals and a late third saw League Two high-fliers Wrexham earn a victory.

The Red Dragons took the lead after 14 minutes when striker Ollie Palmer smashed home after Joe Day had parried his initial header before Andy Cannon fired a second in first half stoppage time.

The second half and the in particular the introduction of strikers Rhys Murphy saw Yeovil come close to narrowing the deficit before a late third from substitute Sam Dalby sealed it.

Here’s how Coatesie saw it from the away end…

First half

Glovers’ boss Mark Cooper reverted to five at the back with on loan Bristol City defender Duncan Idehen coming in to defence, as the Glovers tried to match up their opponents, who regularly play five at the back. A brave move given the quality in the Wrexham squad.

The first psychological battle went to the visitors who turned their opponents around to shoot towards their own supporters in the first half. Whether that proves to be worth anything….I’ll come back to you.

The first action of the match as Frank Nouble tussled with Wrexham’s Andy Cannon down the left wing. After both players tried their best to undress each other, Cannon came off the worse of a coming together and spent a period on the floor before making a Lazarus-style recovery to return to the fray.

Wrexham’s threat in the opening exchanges came down the left side with wing-back Jacob Mendy heading over the bar from a James McClean cross after ten minutes.

At the other end, a surge forward by Matt Worthington saw a dangerous ball in to the box was cleared by the home defence.

But the threat from down the left was still there and on 14 minutes the home side were ahead. Elliott Lee spread the ball out wide and a ball in to the box from Cannon found Ollie Palmer whose header was parried by Joe Day, but PALMER was there to hammer home the rebound.

The Red Dragons suffered a setback soon after when defender Aaron Hayden went off injured after 15 minutes. He was replaced by midfielder James Jones with George Evans dropping back in to defence.

Cannon hammered a shot across the face of goal after 20 minutes but no Wrexham player was there to get a vital touch.

Five minutes later, a foray forward from the visitors saw Jordan Young felled on the edge of the box. The referee presumably new it would have been in the territory perfect for his left foot and did not give it.

The first meaningful opening for Yeovil came on the 29th minute following a period of controlled possession (cue calls to “gerrit  forward”) and Michael Smith and Nouble combined down the right for the big striker to lift a shot over.

Seven minutes later a ball broke to the edge of the box and Cooper was there to fire in a shot which Wrexham keeper Mark Howard turned over. It was a great save by the hosts’ stopper as Yeovil started to come in to the game.

In the 43rd minute, Young brought the ball in from the right and was felled 25 yards from goal by Lee. The winger proceeded to unleash a tremendous effort which Howard looked to get a touch the ball on to the post.

But, as the game crept in to the second minute of three added on at the end of the first half, Wrexham doubled their lead. A long throw from Ben Tozer (“you were crap for us”, the ex-Glover was reminded by one visiting fan every time he got close enough to hear) was headed away by Duncan Idehen but landed to CANNON who fired through a crowded area and just inside the post. Even in Hollywood there are no television replays, but it looked as if it could have taken a nick off a player on its way past Day. 

Two bits of quality – and the two goals which came from them, of course – were the difference between the two sides at the interval.

Half time: Wrexham 2 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

There were no changes from either side at the break, as Yeovil continued to try and match their opponents’ formation again.

The opening 15 minutes of the second half saw the visitors dominating possession with Wrexham seemingly happy to let us keep it and try and keep us at arm’s length.

On 52 minutes, a Charlie Cooper effort went over from the edge of the box and three minutes later, Young cut in from the right side, beating a couple of defenders, but hit a effort curled wide of goal. If something was going to happen going forward, it feels most likely to come from Young.

On 64 minutes, top scorer Rhys Murphy was brought on in place of Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, joining Nouble up front.

A minute later, Mendy flashed an effort but within five minutes of his arrival Murphy almost halved the advantage. A great book from Young set him loose inside the box and it was only a superb tackle from Evans that denied him.

Moments later, the striker headed down a ball in from Smith towards Morgan Williams but the defender was not quite on the same wavelength. 

Further freshness came off the bench on 75 minutes with ex-Wrexham man Jake Hyde and on loan Exeter City striker Sonny Cox replacing Nouble and Young.

The pressure was all coming from Yeovil, but they almost got caught on the break as a fast attack from Wrexham broke to Mendy in the box but he could not get his shot away.

A great ball from Cooper almost released Murphy inside the box soon after before another fast counter by Wrexham found substitute Sam Dalby on the edge of the box. His effort sailed over the bar with the help of a deflection.

With three minutes of normal time remaining, a surge forwards from Cox fed Hyde whose cross ball over just went too far in front of Murphy as he moved towards goal.

The home side continued to look a threat on the break and added a third four minutes in to stoppage time when DALBY chipped in a third having been played in by McClean.

The scoreline flattered the home side who had more quality where it counted, but the chants of “we are top of the league” from the away supporters at the final whistle give an indication of where the real prize lies this season. Bring on the Bath!

Full time: Wrexham 3 Yeovil Town 0

Match Details

Venue: The Racecourse Ground
Date: Sunday December 4, 3.45pm kick-off
Competition: National League South

Pitch: December rain and cold 
Conditions: Mostly green 

Attendance: 9640 (784 away supporters)

Scorers: Ollie Palmer 14 (0-1), Andy Cannon 45+2 (0-2), Sam Dalby 

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Cooper 30, Wannell 85
Wrexham: Lee 43,

Referee:

Yeovil Town (5-3-2)

Substitutes: Rhys Murphy (for Lo-Everton, 64), Jake Hyde (for Frank Nouble, 76), Sonny Cox (for Jordan Young, 76), Josh Owers (for Cooper, 87), Will Dawes (for Alex Whittle, 87).

Wrexham (5-3-2): Howard; Mendy, Hayden (Jones 15), Tozer, O’Connor, McClean; Cannon (Young 77), Evans, Lee (Davies 88); Palmer (Dalby 77), Mullin (Bickerstaff 88). Subs not used: McNicholas, Boyle, Hossanah, McAlinden.