BRIAN LITTLE BACKS HIS WREXHAM BATTLERS
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader

BRIAN LITTLE today rubbished claims Wrexham were over physical against Peterborough United on Saturday.

Wrexham stretched their unbeaten run to five matches after claiming a 0-0 draw at London Road, and although results elsewhere meant the Reds are back at the foot of the from safety.

Peterborough goalkeeper Joe Lewis was stretchered off in the 73rd minute with a head injury following a challenge by Wrexham defender Steve Evans - resulting in a mass brawl involving all outfield players from both sides.

A number of niggly challenges ensued, with referee Graeme Horwood adding on seven minutes of injury time, but Little defended his side: "We are at the bottom fighting like crazy to stay up. No-one will criticise our effort or commitment which is good," he said Little.

"Perhaps four or five weeks ago there were certain games where people looked at us and thought, they are going nowhere.

"We have found a spirit and a commitment from somewhere.

"I don't think we were too over committed. I genuinely don't think that. But it was a game where both sides wanted to try and get something out of it.

"The players, after the goalkeeper got hurt, really all went flying in and that shouldn't happen. We should be a little bit better behaved than that, but the last thing in the world we are is over physical.

"I thought we played very well first half. Second half, Peterborough penned us down a little bit more and we had to defend more. But we are not over physical, that's a certainty."

Little also gave Evans, who was booked for the offence when attempting to meet a corner, his full backing and stressed that the Wales international was merely going for the ball.

"I thought Steve was a little bit late but genuinely went for the ball," said Little. "If you saw the game last week Steve scored with a header in an identical situation.

"He only had eyes for the ball so from my point of view, I am 100 per cent behind him.

"There was an incident earlier on that perhaps we might have thought was more of a sending off situation when Drewe was pole-axed.

"There were a couple of very difficult decisions for the referee and at the end of the day he has made honest opinions on both of them and you have to back him. I think you have to say the referee probably got them both right."

Former Wrexham midfielder Darren Ferguson, who has been in charge of Peterborough since last January, was unhappy to see another challenge from Evans late in the game go unpunished.

And Ferguson thought referee Horwood did not give a good account of himself, saying: "The disappointing thing was the referee gave us absolutely no protection whatsoever. Basically, the centre-back just went and head-butted our goalkeeper, and then he went and elbowed our centre-forward - absolute nonsense.

"We got no protection and I don't want to slag referees - I have obviously got to be careful - but I thought he had a very, very poor game."

Ferguson, a Wrexham player for seven years, said that the Reds' tactics had stifled Peterborough who drew a blank but remain the highest scorers in the division.

"I have no interest in them to be honest, or their tactics. It doesn't bother me. I am only interested in our performance, that is all I have got to be worried about," added Ferguson. "It is not my concern how they play. My concern is how we play.

"They are not going to come here and let us play. They are bottom of the league and Brian Little has got a big experienced team, and he has got to keep them in the league."