Sam - Hit the bar

WREXHAM slipped to a narrow defeat at the hands of local-rivals Chester City, with a late goal deciding a mostly even affair at a bitterly cold Deva Stadium.

The defeat came despite the heroics of young goalkeeper Ryan Harrison, who was making his first appearance for the Red Dragons following his switch from Hastings.

Harrison grew in confidence throughout the game, the 19-year-old coming through a nervous opening period to pull off a series of impressive saves, which almost earned Joey Jones' side a valuable away point.

In an even first half Hector Sam, who was being watched by fellow Trinidad and Tobago internationals Carlos Edwards and Dennis Lawrence, looked most likely to get on the score-sheet.

His pace troubled the Chester back four and he was unlucky not to put his side a goal up following a mazy run in first half injury time, his shot cannoning back off the crossbar with Chester 'keeper Chris Mackenzie beaten.

The second period proved a testing one for the young Wrexham defence, with Chester enjoying the lions share of both possession and chances. However, it was only in the last 15 minutes that the game exploded into life.

Wrexham were almost behind on 76 minutes when the referee awarded a free kick just outside the penalty when Jeff Whitley was penalised for a foul Chester forward Sean Whalley. Harrison did well to tip Elokobi's resulting 25-yard free-kick over the bar, which had looked to be dipping into the top right hand corner.

Harrison was again called into action in the 78th minute, when a cross from Mike Walsh was met by the head of Whalley, only for the effort to be brilliantly clawed around the left-hand post by the Wrexham debutant.

After the final whistle Joey was very unhappy about his side's second half performance.

"I blame myself for telling them at the break that they had played well," he said afterwards. "Because we did nothing in the second 45 minutes!

"To be honest the only two who came out of that game with anything were defenders Gareth Evans and Mike Williams, while the young keeper also made a number of good saves."

Chester City Reserves: Mackenzie, Ventre, Lathom, Bell, Elokobi, Vaughan, Lynch (Rutherford 80), Harris, Walsh, Booth, Whalley.
Subs: Scales, Jones, Brookfield, Cooke.

Wrexham Reserves: Ryan Harrison, Kieran Quinn (Mike Harris 57), Mike Williams, Simon Spender, Gareth Evans, Kevin Williams, Dean Bennett, Jim Whitley, Hector Sam, Scott Green, Matty Done (Marc Williams 74).
Subs: Phil Gray, Graham Roche, Chris Evans.

Booked -
Chester: Ventre (52 -dissent)

Match Report - James Cooper