Red Passion - Match Day

Rail Track Online Timetable - Nearest Train Station is Stoke-on-Trent. Best bet is two walk for a couple of minutes into Stoke City and catch the coaches from Glebe Street that run to the ground at regular intervals.

Match Preview
Red Passion League Graph
Wrexham 1 Stoke City 2 - League (04/11/00)
Nationwide League Division Two
Fixtures			Form Table
League Table			Statistics
Current Form - The Last Five Games
Stoke City			Wrexham
Opposition	Competition	Score	Opposition	Competition	Score
Bournemouth (a)	Division Two	0-1	Luton Town (h)	Division Two	3-1
Walsall (h)	Division Two	0-0	Wycombe Wanderers (a)	Division Two	1-1
Luton Town (a)	Division Two	2-1	Notts County (h)	Division Two	1-1
Millwall (a)	Division Two	0-2	Peterborough United (h)	Division Two	2-1
Bristol Rovers (h)	Division Two	4-1	Port Vale (h)	Division Two	1-1
Overall			Overall

Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	GD	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	GD
2	1	2	6	5	+ 1	2	3	0	8	5	+ 3

The Season So Far - League Record
Stoke City									Wrexham
Pld	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts	Pos
43	18	14	11	65	46	19	68	6	42	16	11	15	62	63	- 1	59	9

The Danger Men - Top Goal Scorers
Stoke City				Wrexham
Player	League	Cup	Total	Player	League	Cup	Total
Peter Thorne	16	2	18	Darren Ferguson	8	1	9
Andrew Cooke	7	4	11	Lee Trundle	8	0	8
James O'Connor	8	2	10	Craig Faulconbridge	7	0	7
Bjarni Gudjonsson	6	4	10	Hector Sam	5	1	6
Rikhardur Dadason	5	2	7	Andy Morrell	5	0	5

The Hard Men - Worst Discipline
Stoke City	Wrexham

Player	Yellow	Red	Player	Yellow	Red
James O'Connor	13	0	Darren Ferguson	10	0
Brynjar Gunnarsson	9	1	Lee Roche	9	0
Wayne Thomas	8	1	Dave Ridler	3	2
Bjarni Gudjonsson	9	0	Craig Faulconbridge	5	1
Nicky Mohan	4	1	Brian Carey	8	0

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is - The Latest Odds
Stoke Win	4/6	The Draw	5/2	Wrexham Win	10/3
Stoke 1-0	6/1	0-0 Draw	9/1	Wrexham 1-0	9/1
Stoke 2-0	7/1	1-1 Draw	6/1	Wrexham 2-0	20/1
Stoke 2-1	15/2	2-2 Draw	14/1	Wrexham 2-1	14/1
Stoke 3-1	10/1	3-3 Draw	50/1	Wrexham 3-2	50/1

	Red Passion in Association with Littlewoods Bet247
	All odds courtesy of Littlewoods Bet 247 and correct at the time of publication. The odds shown are only a selection of what is available. Please visit Littlewoods Bet247 for the latest odds and more details. Once there select Football betting and then Division Two.
	Click here for details of Red Passion's association with Littlewoods Bet247.

Team News
Stoke City	Wrexham
Stoke have been struggling over the past month in their attempts to secure a play off place and their midweek defeat at rivals Bournemouth has made this a must win game. Manager Gudjon Thordarson's attempts to steady the ship have been hindered by the news that Bjarni Gudjonsson faces a late fitness test on a hamstring injury and defender Nicky Mohan is doubtful with a calf strain but he apparently stormed away from Stoke's training ground last week after a bust up with the manager and hasn't been seen since. If Mohan doesn't not play then Frode Kippe or Ben Petty will replace him in the centre of defence. Stoke may make changes up front in order to boost their fire power and either Andy Cooke or Peter Thorne will have to drop down the bench after loosing form. That could mean a recall Rikhardur Dadason but the main problem for the front men has been the lack of quality balls from midfield and the wings.	Wrexham's main injury doubt is over winger Robin Gibson and defender Dennis Lawrence is away on international duty after returning from his broken ribs. Gibson picked up a shoulder injury against Luton on Easter Monday and he had to be substituted by Carlos Edwards at half time and he is on standby by to start. Wrexham do have cover in defence because Dave Ridler is now available after serving a five-match ban but Ridler will most likely have to settle for a place on the bench. Wrexham started with rookie David Walsh in goal against Luton but Brian Flynn is likely to recall the experienced Kevin Dearden. Although Dave Ridler is available the defence will be unchanged with Lee Roche, Phil Hardy, Mark McGregor and Brian Carey making up the back four. In midfield will be the inform Danny Williams and Darren Ferguson but Brian Flynn may revert to two wingers to utilise the full width of the Britannia Stadium pitch. That could mean a welcome return for Michael Blackwood at the expense of Steve Thomas with Robin Gibson or Carlos Edwards on the right wing. The front two of Craig Faulconbridge and Kevin Russell will remain unchanged, as Andy Morrell is not fully fit and Lee Trundle has been ruled out for the season.
	Squad (16): Dearden, Roche, Carey, McGregor, Hardy, Gibson, Williams, Ferguson, Blackwood, Faulconbridge, Russell, Ridler, Chalk, Edwards, Thomas, Walsh.

Match Result
Stoke City	(2) 3	Wrexham	(0) 1
Phil Hardy (o.g.)	6'	Darren Ferguson	86' (p)
Brynjar Gunnarsson	44' 56'
Line up: Ward, Hansson (Risom 71'), Clarke (Dprigo 27'), Gunnarsson ( Gudjonsson 61'), Thomas, Kippe, Kavanagh, O'Connor, Dadason, Thorne, Cooke.		Line up: Walsh, Roche, Hardy, McGregor, Carey, Williams (Thomas 46'), Ferguson, Edwards, Blackwood (Chalk 59'), Faulconbridge, Russell.
Subs Unused: Thordarson, Kristinsson.		Subs Unused: Sam, Evans, Dearden.
Cautioned: Dorigo 28' - Foul, Cooke 36' - Dissent.		Cautioned: Blackwood 17' - Handball, Ferguson 80' - Handball.
Sent Off: None.		Sent Off: None.

Attendance

12,687

Referee

P. R. Richards (Preston)

Match Review

Match Statistics provided by Sports.com

Match Report provided by Sports.com

Match Reports from the Media

Other Division Two Results provided by Sports.com

Updated Division Two League Table provided by Sports.com

Press Conference Quotes

Kevin Reeves: "In terms of possession, we did quite well today, but we didn't create many chances. So the actual system worked all right but if you lose a goal it then becomes difficult. It was a disappointing goal to concede and they then altered their system after about 10 minutes, although it didn't change the pattern of the game too much. We were still playing ok, but the second goal was the killer blow. It was a great strike and scored not long before half-time. The penalty appeals we had earlier in the match could well have swung things back our way. How close the first was to a penalty, I'm not sure, but all our lads felt it was and they are notorious for not appealing at the best of times. From where we were, it definitely looked as if from his body shape, he lunged down at the ball but whether he actually caught it with his arm I'm not sure. The second incident annoyed me more, as Michael got booked for exactly the same thing in my opinion. If the referee is strong enough to make the one decision, then he should strong enough to make the other. To be honest, I thought the penalty we got at the end was dubious and he was just evening things up - when it didn't matter to us then. At two-nil down at the interval, we still thought the next goal was going to crucial. If we got, then the crowd might get a bit edgey and the players certainly would, so it might get us back in the game. Unfortunately and credit to them, the first 20 minutes of the second half they started well and I thought it was their best period of the game. Once they got that third goal, it really was game over. As we have said to the lads, we are learning something about the players from each game, so it's not as if they can go out there and relax."

Craig Faulconbridge: "I thought we stated really well and nearly scored in the first minute, but after that the goal set us back a little bit. We still came at them a lot more but their second goal was a something special. From two-nil down at half-time we still thought we had a chance. We started the second half a little bit differently never got back on the front foot until the last 20 minutes of the game. When their third went in, Kevin was moved alongside me and I think it was more of damage limitations at that stage. We hoped to see if we could nick a goal or two, and to be fair it worked quite well. They got a lucky goal to set them on their way, while the second was a good strike, but had we only gone in at the break one behind, then it's a different kettle of fish.

Gudjon Thordarson: "This game was about three points for us and in the end we managed to get them, with a quite comfortable win. We started with three strikers, as we expected two options from Wrexham and got one of them. So we then decided to push Brynjar (Gunnarsson) into midfield, when we saw how they were going to play. So we matched them with 4-3-3. They started quite brightly but once we got the goal and sorted out what we were going to do in midfield, we got a bit of the game and did ok. Once we went three goals up, I found it difficult to see them getting back into the match. They got a late penalty, but Thorney had a few chances, so instead of getting a fourth we gave one away. Although I think you could say the referee gave it away! I thought it was nice to see Wrexham, a good footballing side. They are building there and you have to give them credit for what they are doing. It is nice to see teams with the confidence to get the ball down and pass and move. That is something everyone should look forward to and they are doing a good job. I have enough of a problem looking at my own players, but they had some good players. Darren Ferguson is a good player I think, and I like several of the others. We didn't start well and they almost caught us cold, but obviously the early goal was a big help to us."

All quotes courtesy of the Robins News Service

Next Games
Opponents	Venue	Competition	Date	Kick Off	RP Match Day?
Swansea City	Away	Division Two	Tuesday 24 April	7:45 pm	Yes
Millwall	Home	Division Two	Saturday 28 April	3:00 pm	Yes
Bristol Rovers	Away	Division Two	Saturday 05 May	3:00 pm	Yes
FAW Premier Cup: Wrexham are through to the semi-final to be played over two legs and will play the winners of Barry Town and TNS.
Please check date and kick-off times with the press - Red Passion accepts no responsibility for wasted journeys!

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