Yth Alliance Cup 1 - Carlisle 2 Wrexham 1
THE length of time that the Wrexham coaches spent talking to their players after the final whistle at Carlisle United, just illustrated how disappointed they were with the team's display following this first defeat of the season.
The Young Dragons dipped out of the Youth Alliance Cup at the first hurdle by losing to the Cumbrians, who scored twice before Kai Edwards produced a stunning effort to give his team at least some hope.
In the end though, it was the home side who really should have extended their advantage, only denied by some good keeping from Dan Staples and then the woodwork!
The home side took an early lead when a long clearance down the middle of the park was missed by our defence, as a United attacker nipped in between one of the centre halves and a full back before crossing into the centre for Liam Davison. He swept the ball home under the keeper.
That lead was doubled with a cross from the right wing allowing Andy Cook to grab United's second on the half hour.
On 36 minutes, Kai Edwards scored the goal of the match, taking the ball on a 50-yard run, playing a one-two outside the home box before firing home with an unstoppable effort.
The score could have been level at the break, but Matty Hurdman's angled effort flashed across the face of the Carlisle goal before clipping the back post.
In the second half Carlisle took control of the game and really should have added more goals, one striker being denied by Staples when the keeper stood solid in a one-on-one situation and then his partner some missed a tap in when completely unmarked.
The turning point in the match came on 70 minutes, when Nick Rushton was clearly felled in the home penalty area, but as the watching crowd and players expected an obvious spot kick to be awarded, the referee just waved play on.
It was an astonishing decision.
United lifted themselves and struck the Wrexham cross bar from distance on 76 minutes, before Staples made another good save to keep the score down.
Coach Joey Jones was still visibly upset a fair period after the final whistle.
"I spoke to the referee and he said he didn't see a foul," said Joey.
"He must have been one of the few in the ground who didn't. Don't get me wrong, we didn't deserve to get anything out of the game and were second best, but it was still a penalty."
His fellow coach Stuart Webber was not any less disappointed at the day's outcome.
"We got what we deserved, although we had started the game reasonably well," he said.
"We let them score a couple of goals, which we didn't defend well.
"Looking at the side, few of them will have come off the pitch thinking they gave their all. Probably only four can be satisfied with their display, with Kai Edwards doing his best to lead by example.
"We have to work harder and to be honest, several of them gave us next to nothing today - and they have been made aware of that!"
Wrexham: Dan Staples, Jack Jones, Johnny Hunt, Josh Marsh, Kai Edwards, Rob Pearson, Matty Hurdman, Aaron Malton (Declan Walker 75), Obi Anoruo, Marc Head (Jordan Kane 66), George Stewart (Nick Rushton 46).
Jordan Kane (12) waits on a free kick
Kai Edwards makes a defending tackle
Jack Jones takes a throw in
