Match report

Wrexham 4 v 0 Swansea City

For those that like match details, the only statistics that you need to know from this game is that Wrexham scored three in the first half and one in the second. Other details such as times and bookings are almost irrelevant as the euphoria and apparent confidence following the performance against Wolves at the Vetch on Wednesday night rapidly seeped in to the ground at the Racecourse today.

To summarise the match very simply, we were totally outplayed.

Despite the ground's name, we were not party to any race, we were just watching as a fairly average Wrexham side outplayed us at will. They played fast and simple football, using the width of the pitch and the pace of a couple of players.

The 400 or so travelling fans must have anticipated a good display even if it didn't match Wednesday's effort, but what they had to endure for 90 minutes was painful. These were the same 16 players that were on duty in the Worthington Cup, so why the change. Was it the lack of cameras, surely they can't have been tired, didn't Wrexham also have cup game just 24 hours before us. Nor could it have been a 4-hour bus journey to the ground this morning, an excuse used by the radio reporters, I mean they weren't pushing the bus were they?

Those that travelled to Macclesfield last season for the FA Cup game suffered badly. This was at least equal to that performance, and if today seemed in any way less of an ordeal, it can only have been because the temperature was about 20 degrees higher.

We all know the defensive problems we have faced this season, and despite the absence of Jason Smith (and maybe it is time now for us to know what is going on there – Cusack's after match comments on BBC Wales smacked of displeasure at his continued absence) and Neil Sharp, surely we have central defenders in Mumford, Theobald, and O'Leary who know how to run the back line and bring some sort of stability to that element of our game.

We do not expect clean sheets week after week, but the way we are conceding goals at the moment would be an embarrassment to most sides in any local league. These are professional players who are paid relatively good money to do a job. They are not doing it, and today we were back to witnessing a passionless and inept display.

We lack height in defence and will continually suffer badly in trying to defend against tall strikers, but today we also proved that we can no longer defend against pace or width, so what can we hope for in future matches. Our defenders are being turned inside out by attackers, and the lack of solid challenges is alarming. The gaping defensive holes in the middle must be manner from Heaven for the opposition, we are gifting them opportunity after opportunity, over and over again. If a team has good finishers we will be on the end of many more 4-0 drubbings.

Roger had a bad game today, and the understanding between him and his defensive colleagues has evaporated, but many goals are impossible for him to stop.

Again in his radio interview Cusack said that he wanted people to stay on their feet, not commit themselves, and drive the play down the tramlines. It's not happening, we are tracking the players, and they are out running us.

O'Leary and Freestone seem to spend huge amounts of time arguing with each other. O'Leary responds to virtually every error in defence with a shrug of the shoulders, as if to say 'what can I do about it?' He is the captain, but without the visual assistance of the armband, you wouldn't know it. He brings nothing to the team, and should not be there.

Why does Cusack insist on playing up front, when, given the opportunity, that department is the one we have that can take care of itself? In the absence of a solid central defender, Cusack needs to position himself nearer the heart of the team's problems. At the moment, apart from picking the team and probably taking the training sessions, he is a player more than a manager. He needs to player/manage in a more effective way, on the field, and immediately. Why not put Mumford alongside, and see how that works?

Today's performance was woeful. The only players who could not be criticised to any great degree were Thomas and Wood up front. The expectation of them to right all the wrongs in defence by scoring more goals than we concede is a great theory, but they are chasing scraps, having to fight for everything against well-organised defences. They did not play particularly well today and both were let down by their own ball control too often, but they need a service that they can work with to have any chance of doing their own job on the field.

The 'Evans at centre half' experiment has surely run its course, and he needs to move to his favoured right back position. We cannot afford any more defensive experiments with players who would be more comfortable alongside Snow White at the Grand Theatre; we need height and physical presence.

Moving Evans to right back would free up Jenkins to maybe move to a midfield position. He is out of his depth in his current role. He, along with Reid, Phillips, Moss, Murphy and Lacey are then available as a midfield pool. Operating with three up front is leaving us exposed and over-run in midfield and defence, and we need to revert to a two-pronged attack.

The other alternative must be to look for a loan player or out of contact player to do the central defender's job. Surely we are not that close to the knuckle on budgets to prevent us making the most of the elements of the transfer system not shut out by the closure of the transfer window.

At no time today did we look like getting back into this game, and our precarious league position is serious. We are one fifth of the way through the season, so lets ask the questions again. How much time does a team need to 'blend' and how much time does a manager get to prove that he can turn things round. Furthermore, at what point do the board look at where we are and what's happening, and make a decision? Will they be prepared to accept defeat, if it comes to that, on what was a monetary decision in the first place. Someone somewhere has to take action, on the field, and if necessary off the field.

The early season optimism has gone, chants of 'what a load of rubbish' today were not from the minority in the crowd who chose to chant about political matters rather than footballing issues, but from the vast majority of those who travelled for the game.

Fans pay good money to get into games, in addition to the travelling costs, and they are well placed to demand and expect the effort that they saw last Wednesday, every time. Anything less than that when a Swans shirt is pulled on isn't acceptable, and it's time that things changed.

We are constantly reminded that we are owned and run by people who care for the club, and that the fans have a say. Let's see what the fans say when Torquay turn up at the Vetch next Saturday; let's see how many fans are there to greet the teams, because that is still the fans' strongest voice, the clicking sound of the turnstiles.

If we lose to Boston next Wednesday, we will start the Torquay game bottom of the league, a position we have never occupied, but would be occupying already were it not for the financial indiscretions of our next opponents.

• Freestone - 3 - Started the rot flapping at cross leading to 1st goal. Left totally exposed on the other 3.  
• Jenkins - 3 - Seemed all to happy not to put a challenge in letting his man cross at will.
• O'Leary - 2 - Calamitous performance. Stood and watched attackers throughout 1st half. 
• Evans - 3 - Again all to reluctant to put in a challenge.
• Howard - 4- Best of defence again, but really isn't anything to be proud of today.
•  Moss - 4 - With 3 strikers the luxury of an attacking midfield player who does little defensive work is a luxury we just cannot afford, especially away from home.
• Reid – 4 - Did all to little to help out a defence under siege.
• Phillips - 6- Seemed to be left to put in all midfield challenges. A task that proved beyond him.
• Cusack - 5 - Why the hell after the 2nd goal he didn't move himself to central defence or put himself in front of the centre halves is just beyond us. Can he not see what's happening from upfront?
• Thomas - 6 - Total lack of crosses from wide positions are not helping him, but let down by his control too often today.
• Wood - 5 - Gave 100% effort, but control was his downfall as well. 
• Lacey - 5- Looked far more effective than Moss, but midfield cries out for Mumford.
• Theobald and Keaveny not marked
• PS Where was Mumford again? Please don't tell me he's got a groin strain.       

Wrexham 4 v 0 Swansea City

It was a warm day in North Wales, we had Wood & Thomas in attack, we were just off a good performance against Wolves in the Worthington Cup, It was a Welsh derby match, North V South, and everything was set for a good day.

That's where it all ends. As for the match itself, Wrexham scored four we scored none. Their first goal could be partly blamed on the ref, who allowed the kick to be taken before Evans had got back into position after a booking. In reality it would have made no difference as our lack of height in defence allowed Morrell to score with a header after 10 mins without any meaningful challenge. Worse was to come when after only 2 more mins the same player scored number 2 this time with his feet after more inept defending. We were never in the game as Wrexham grew in stature and played football that left us chasing shadows. The inevitable happened on 30 mins when Sam scored the third from inside the box aided by more weak defending. Two half chances for us with Dibble saving well on both occasions.

Half time saw Lacey replace Moss, later on Theobald replaced Reid and near the end Keaveney replaced Wood who received applause from the travelling fans for his efforts. Any pie in the sky thoughts that we could get anything from this game were killed off within the first 15 mins of the second half as Edwards had a jinking run through our defence for number 4. How Wrexham did not add to their score must be one of the world's mysteries. As our abysmal performance got even worse. We were all put out of our misery as only 2 mins of added time was played and the team left the field to the away stand echoing to the chant of 'what a load of rubbish'.

That has to be the shortest match report we have written. So to give you something to read here are our thoughts and comments.

We arrived at the ground to hear police and stewards discussing there had been trouble in Wrexham centre. This resulted in the Jackarmy.net team being held up and then escorted to the Turf pub for a pre-arranged meeting.

We have respect for what Nick Cusack is trying to do, and for the way he conducted himself last season. He leads by example on the pitch with his efforts but his frustration clearly shows as he tries to do everything and be everywhere. This ultimately is not helping as the team loses any semblance of shape it has. He should play in defence where his organizational skills are required

At the start of the season Nick promised that we would see players that were much fitter and would die for the shirt. Well either we question his choice of players or they are letting him and us down BIG time.

After the York game we commented on the facts that players showed lack of professionalism, again we witnessed a team that cannot do the basics, players looked at each other after each and every mistake, there are no leaders, players are not taking responsibility for their actions. Many Sunday league teams show better organization than what we saw today.

We have a team of individuals who look as if they have never played together. A team should encourage each other, help each other and be available for support at every occasion. Maybe it has a different meaning in the Swansea changing rooms.

No individual player scores as not many would get above zero.

We spent £42 on admission and over £20 on petrol on today's game. Many more displays like this and not even 62p will be wasted. We could continue with repeating comments we have made in previous reports, but just like today's team we can't be bothered making the effort.

To end finally. There were chants by the Wrexham fans of 'Chester here you come', this is really a distinct possibility.

An Andy Morrell-inspired Wrexham enjoyed a brilliant afternoon at the Racecourse, easily despatching Welsh rivals Swansea 4-0.

The Red Dragons had it all sewn up in the first period, taking the lead after 10 minutes when Darren Ferguson's beautifully flighted free-kick was headed home by Morrell.

Two minutes later the striker claimed a sixth of the season, sliding home after being set up by Hector Sam.

Trinidadian Sam made it three on the half-hour when he powerfully shot home.

Wrexham continued to carve out chances but James Thomas should have reduced the arrears on 43 minutes, Andy Dibble blocking his shot when he was clean through.

It got worse for Swansea in the 56th minute as Carlos Edwards beat two as well as the keeper before sliding home.

Morrell had further chances, including a penalty claim, to complete his hat-trick as Swansea's defence continued to present him with openings.

Lineup: Freestone, Jenkins, O'Leary, Evans, Howard, Moss [Lacey 45:00], Cusack, Reid [Theobald 67:06], Phillips, Thomas, Wood [Keaveny 73:44]. Subs not used: Marsh, Williams.

Substitutions, Swans: 45:00 Lacey on for Moss; 67:06 Theobald on for Reid; 73:44 Keaveny on for Wood.

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