Saturday, 17 November 2007

Steve Cooper was delighted by the way his side bounced back from the disappointing defeat a week earlier with a well deserved draw at Port Vale.

"We were really pleased with the way the lads played after such a disappointing performance and result against Stockport," he said.

"We played with purpose, and were very positive. We played the type of football and tempo that will help us to get much better."

After a goalless first half the home side grabbed a 50th minute lead from an innocuous looking punt forward by the keeper. Such a ball would normally pose little problem for the likes of Chris Marriott and Lee Jones but, and totally out of character for the pair, it wasn't dealt with and a Vale player nipped through to score.

But the lads responded magnificently and were level inside three minutes. Johnny Hunt cut inside on halfway and threaded a ball between the right back and right-sided central defender for Carding who, coming in off the wing and breaking the line, delivered a great ball in. George Stewart's shot was saved but Mark Head followed up to tap in the rebound.

From then on if any team was going to collect all three points it was the Dragons. The best chance of doing so fell to Mark Stewart but unusually for him he blazed the ball over the bar and so both sides had to settle for a point apiece from an entertaining contest.

"We've done ok so far," Steve said. "And this was the type of performance we needed because the lads were doing the things they need to do at this stage of their development."

Wrexham: Chris Maxwell, Kai Edwards (Jamie Price 80), Johnny Hunt, Lee Jones, Chris Marriott, Luke Carding, George Stewart, Paul Williams, Tom Matischok, Mark Head, Mark Stewart.
Subs: Rob Pearson, Paul Gideon, Matty Hurdman, Obi Anoruo.