A Small Brussels Suburb
Stuart Lee shoots for goal as Wrexham try to pull back their one-goal deficit in Brussels
Picture from Wrexham: A Complete Record 1872-1992
Belgian author Pascal Laureys reminds us of the second leg of the 1976 Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final - Wrexham 1 RSC Anderlecht 1.
Anderlecht awaited the return game anxiously after they had won the first leg by 1-0 only. Moreover, Wrexham had just beaten Hereford (2-1), leaders of Division 3, and believed in their chances against the Belgians. However, their best striker, Mickey Thomas, who suffered a severe leg injury, was absent and replaced by Tinnion. The Racecourse, full of atmosphere, was filled with 30,000 spectators (including about 500 Belgian fans), although the stadium's official capacity was 20,000 only...
Anderlecht lined up the same as in the first leg in Brussels: Ruiter Van Binst, Broos, Vandendaele, Thissen, Vercauteren, Vander Elst, Haan, Ressel, Coeck and Rensenbrink. The Brussels team had just beaten Belgian league leaders Club Bruges 1-0, a goal by Van Binst. Anderlecht occupied second place, two points behind leaders Bruges. The trip to Wrexham was quite troublesome. The plane that took the team from Brussels Airport to Manchester was hours late, due to the thick fog above the Manchester, which hindered the landing. After the troublesome landing, a bus took them to their Chester hotel.
Anderlecht tried to attack on the greasy surface, but it was Wrexham who dominated the opening period with Griffiths and Sutton driving forward in determined fashion from midfield. However, Anderlecht did not crack thanks to the outstanding Ruiter, who cut off many crosses aimed at Ashcroft. Vander Elst had a very good chance when he broke strongly but this was cleared on the left. He slipped a pass to Rensenbrink and then sprinted on for the return, only to fire into the side netting. Wrexham continued to pierce the visitors' defence, but they needed greater control in the box.
Van Binst, scorer in the first leg, opened the second half with a stinging drive from out on the right which had Lloyd stretching to save in fine style at his far post. Then, in the 62nd minute, Wrexham scored. Ashcroft ended a strong run through the middle with a pass to Tinnion in the outside-right position. He cut the ball back for Sutton, who smashed a shot across the goal and Lee, at the far post, made no mistake from about five yards.
Anderlecht panicked for a moment, but in the 75th minute Rensenbrink pounced to equalise. Van Binst and Coeck combined well in one raid and Rensenbrink cut inside the box to arrow in a beauty, the ball clipping the post en route to the back of the net. In the dying minutes, Ruiter was called upon to make a spectacular save to keep out a Whittle piledriver.
Wrexham were out, but the Welsh team, the first Third Division team to reach the quarter-finals of a European competition, had done British soccer proud and deserved the standing ovation from the Welsh AND Belgian supporters at the final whistle...