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Who will go down?







Bosh: Fit Again?
Bosh: Fit Again?

Wrexham v Grimsby Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 21/02/2008

HAVE we built our castle on the sand? A big defeat against a struggling team can't surely turn into two? Town travel to Wales in the search of 3 points to move them closer up, well you know to where, but keep quiet.

Home > 2007-2008 Season > Previews > Wrexham (a)


The Opposition

Overview

Bottom of the league and continual financial woes it never seems to be a good time to follow the Welsh outfit. Until late the team looked almost certain for the drop with Mansfield, Lincoln and Macclesfield all starting to pick up points at a fairly rapid pace. Wrexham were close to being left behind by their relegation counterparts. Since our 1-0 win against them at home, Wrexham have gone on an incredible unbeaten run, beating both the bookies' favourites for the league MK Dons and Darlington, as well as a win over fellow promotion hopefuls Peterborough and draws over Morecambe and Bradford. Such a run is nothing short of miraculous with the win taking them only 4 points away from 23rd place Mansfield. Whatever happens between now and May it can't be argued that Brian Little’s side didn't go down without a fight and with fixtures to play against all their relegation rivals there is a small chink of optimism on the Welsh fans faces, until they lose the Six Nations of course.

The Team
Brian Little has a fairly sturdy squad and definitely an underachieving one if their league position is to go by. Former Aston Villa and all round West Midland traveller Gavin Ward is between the sticks while he has a partnership of Simon Spender and Steve Evans is given the task of controlling Wrexham’s somewhat lacklustre defence. The Midfield compromises of Chris Llewellyn (left) once of Norwich and Daniel Sonner of too many clubs I care to mention. Up front Wrexham count on another well travelled and experienced player in Michael Proctor with 8 goals during the campaign. Proctor's goals have been the lifeline they needed and with two in the last three games its possible the Sunderland-born striker is finding form just at the right moment.

Key Player
Neil Roberts (left). Wrexham’s number nine has returned home since signing as a trainee in 1994. Going on to Wigan for around half a million the Welshmen got 20 goals in the northwest out of 64 games before been loaned out to Hull and Bradford. With a short stop off at Doncaster the forward returned home in 2006 and has played 44 games with a rather poor 8 goal return since returning. Though not as prolific as he use to be Roberts's presence and skill has unsettled many defenders and let his partner Proctor notch up a few more. A large and difficult striker to deal with he’s deadly from set pieces and his football experience is something to worry about.

Recent Form

TownWrexham
LDagenham(h)1-4
WMacclesfield(a)2-1
WChesterfield(h)4-2
DNotts Co(a)1-1
WBury(h)1-0
Currently 12th in League Two.
DPeterborough(a)0-0
WDarlington(h)2-0
DMorecambe(a)2-2
DWrexham(h)1-1
WMK Dons(h)1-0
Currently 24th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownWrexham
Danny North9
Danny Boshell6
Proctor8

Team News

TownWrexham

  • Sam Hird has left Grimsby so Alan Buckley has a big decision on whether to continue with 3-5-2 or switch to 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. Various options are available to Buckley, such as playing Peter Bore at right wing back, but we predict a return to 4-4-2 with Atkinson or Bennett playing right back.

  • Danny Boshell is a still doubt with a thigh strain, and Paul Bolland may continue in his place.

  • Left back Tom Newey is also a doubt with a foot injury.
  • Neil Roberts is doubtful as the Wrexham captain has an ankle injury.

  • Midfielder Jeff Whitley could make his first start since returning to Wrexham in January.
  • Probable Teams

    TownWrexham
    G1Barnes
    D24Atkinson
    D6Fenton
    D5Bennett
    D3Newey
    M2Clarke
    M4Hunt
    M8Boshell
    M17Hegarty
    F19Jones
    F9North
    G12Ward
    D2Spender
    D5Steve Evans
    D15Mike Williams
    D28Bolland
    M25Taylor
    M11Llewellyn
    M37Whitley
    F39Broughton
    F35Nicholson
    F10Proctor

    Subs

    TownWrexham
    13Montgomery
    15Whittle
    19Jones
    20Taylor
    8Till
    34Sonner
    38Duffy
    1Williams
    29Aiston
    17Johnston

    Head to Head

    Wrexham and Grimsby are locked almost all square in their 54 games to date, however that masks the true story which is that Town usually beat Wrexham at home and lose away.

    P 54 W 22 D 11 L21 F 65 A 69

    Wrexham Head-to-Head (44th The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Grimsby 2 Wrexham 1 (Sat 12th January 2008)

    Town narrowly won the corresponding fixture at Blundell Park earlier this year, Danny North finally producing the breakthrough for a valuable win at the time.

    Report

    Prediction

    Wrexham 1 Grimsby Town 1

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