Living in a Watkin Wonderland

"QUITE A GOOD GAME REALLY"

Let's re-live some lovely moments

No.12 Daniel Jennings gets all nostalgic about Rochdale-Wrexham, Season 1992-3

When I was asked to write for this feature I didn’t look much further than Rochdale away in the promotion season. Obviously your first game is special, but somehow your first away game stands out much more. I was only ten at the time and with Wrexham doing so well that season made it extra special. The previous match Wrexham had recorded their best home win of the season, 3-0 over high flying York City who were also battling for an automatic promotion place. My favourite player Steve Watkin netted twice so I was hoping he, as well as Wrexham, could carry on their good form.

I travelled to Rochdale by car and arrived with a good hour and a half before kick-off. After walking round town for a bit, we finally headed for the ground at about half past two. All the pubs within half a mile of the ground were full to the brim and many of them had Welsh Dragons proudly displayed in their windows. Once there, the message, “We’d like to welcome our visitors to Spotland for this afternoon’s match”, came over the tannoy system as we took our seats in the family stand. Five to three, the away end was packed and the travelling supporters dominated the family stand. The game eventually started at three o’clock.

There was less than a minute on the clock when Mark Morris went down injured in the box. A Rochdale forward went in late but luckily Morris was able to get up and carry on after treatment. With just less than quarter of an hour played Wrexham got two consecutive free kicks in very presentable areas. Jonathon Cross swung in the first, from the right hand side, but as Steve Watkin put the ball into the net the linesman had his flag raised for offside. Gareth Owen took the second, this time from the left, and the ball sailed directly into the top corner from an acute angle.

Rochdale then started to push forward and pile on the pressure. Steve Whitehall, the local hero, was unlucky as he brought the best out of Mark Morris. From the resulting corner a goal - mouth scramble saw the post and a man on the line somehow prevent Rochdale from scoring. Wrexham then got a chance of their own as a breathtaking run from Karl Connolly finished with Steve Watkin’s diving header hitting the side netting. Rochdale got the equaliser with not long to go before the break. A ball in from the edge of the box found Mulrayne after the bounce beat a luckless Hardy, and the Rochdale man hammered home.

Rochdale started the second half the brighter but Whitehall put a header over from close range when he really should have scored. Ironically, it was Whitehall’s opposite number, Steve Watkin, who stole the winner with twenty minutes remaining. Jonathan Cross made a darting run into the box and as he whipped the ball in venomously it was Watkin who slid in to poke the ball past the stranded ‘keeper. The Wrexham contingent went wild with delight and Wrexham were really flying! For the last part of the match Wrexham settled down and started to play some neat passing football. They could have got a third in the closing minutes but after rounding the ‘keeper Watkin saw his shot blocked on the line.

My first away match, entertaining football, three points, my favourite player scoring the winner and a continued push for promotion - I couldn’t have asked for any more! ıRP

If you’ve got a favourite match you’d like to write about - from any era - please send your memories to RP.