Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement

Welsh College of Horticulture
Sponsored by
01352 841000
The Land-based college of Wales
Holywell Road, Northop, Flintshire CH7 6AA
 
 
Saturday, 22nd November 2008

Premium Article !

Your account has been frozen. For your available options click the below button.

Options

Premium Article !

To read this article in full you must have registered and have a Premium Content Subscription with the n/a site.

Subscribe

Registered Article !

To read this article in full you must be registered with the site.

Wrexham defence causes conerns for Little



Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 09 April 2008
BRIAN LITTLE today bemoaned simple defensive mistakes that cost his relegation-threatened side dear at League Two leaders Milton Keynes Dons last night.
Wrexham found themselves two-down after just ten minutes and despite pulling a goal back on the hour mark through Neil Roberts' penalty, another two goals sealed a 4-1 victory for the highflying Dons.

Defeat, coupled with Notts County's 4-2 reversal at Rochdale, means that Wrexham are still seven points away from safety but with just five games remaining.

And Reds' boss Little was disappointed his side, not for the first time in recent weeks, gift their opponents goals.

"We gave four dreadful goals away, certainly three," said Little. "The first was poor, the third a free header and the fourth someone taking a quick free-kick in the last seconds, and all the centre-halves are running up. It's not the cleverest in the world.

"It is hard to put your finger on why it happens. We work hard with the players all the time, I think our system and pattern is good, but we can't do anything about it if we keep doing stupid things like that.

"It's a nightmare for us because for the remainder of the game, that individual who has made a mistake is doing quite well."

Despite the nightmare start, Little was pleased with how his side came back into the game.

And when Roberts made it 2-1 from the spot, he thought the Reds could have got something out of the match until more costly errors.

"Whatever level of football, you can't afford to give four goals away," said Little. "Outside of that, I think in the main we have played quite well. At 2-1, I thought we had a chance and overall I don't think they had too many more chances than us to score.

"The last 20 minutes in the first half we were grinding our way back into the game so again our attitude and commitment is right.

"But we just had a spell where you can't really explain why we give some of the goals away that we do because there are periods in the game where we look very solid.

"Then there are periods of individuals making the most costly mistakes ever.

"Our general play is good. We are as good as most sides in the bottom half of the division but we do make more mistakes than anyone else."

Despite the defeat – Wrexham's sixth consecutive match without a victory – Little said there positives to take from it.

And Little praised midfielders Danny Williams and Neil Roberts for their contribution.

"It was always going to be a hard game for us," said Little. "Not many people in the world would have picked us to have got a result here. We haven't got a result but we are so bitterly disappointed.

"There were just so many silly things but a lot of good things to come out of the game.

"Danny is not 100 per cent match fit but he calms us down, and he passes the ball around, and as the game went on Neil did really well for us.

"Defensively we were fairly solid except for four silly mistakes.
"There are lots of things about the team that we are fairly proud of and again the scoreline makes it look as if we have not really tried, or not had a go. But I don't think that was the case. Our attitude was spot on but we just gave stupid goals away."

It was Roberts who earned Wrexham's penalty when he was brought down by Don's right-back Carl Regan.

And as Regan was the last man, Little questioned whether the defender - not even booked - could possibly have been sent-off.

"You don't want to see people sent off but I felt he was the last man," added Little. "I said to the referee some five minutes later what was his thinking and I didn't quite understand what he said to me.

"It was one of them decisions where you wonder why there was very little done other than a penalty."

Ask Brian

If you have a question for Brian Little email it to digitalnews@nwn.co.uk and we'll ask as many as we can during our next video interview with the Reds boss this Thursday.

The full article contains 733 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 09 April 2008 12:36 PM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Wrexham
 
 
  

 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.