The battle is on for toothless Dragons

Mar 23 2008 by Staff Reporter, Wales On Sunday

WREXHAM battling for survival in League Two suffered another sting in the tail after a 2-0 defeat at Brentford yesterday.

A goal in each half from Ricky Shakes consigned the Dragons to another defeat.

Wrexham boss Brian Little will be shaking his head after the Bees’ tricky winger netted twice to hand out another blow to their hopes of avoiding the drop.

Little made three changes to the side that defeated Bury 2-1 last weekend.

Mike Williams, Neil Roberts and Danny Sonner all returned to the team in place of Neil Taylor, Carl Tremarco and Paul Hall.

The blustery conditions made life difficult for both sides and kept decent football to a premium at Griffin Park.

The Bees had the better of the opening exchanges and went close when Glenn Poole crashed a shot over from the edge of the area.

Poole created another opportunity for the hosts after 16 minutes but his cross was volleyed over by Shakes.

The Dragons’ supporters were making themselves heard but there was little for them to shout about on the pitch with nothing in the way of an attacking threat.

Wrexham carved open their first shot of the match after 26 minutes when Drewe Broughton set up Michael Proctor and the striker chested and volleyed over from 30 yards.

Brentford took the lead after 31 minutes when Alan Connell’s shot was parried by Gavin Ward, but Shakes followed up to head into the net. The goal sparked the visitors into life and they went agonisingly close soon after when Simon Spender’s 40 yard free kick bounced down and struck the bar. In the scrambled aftermath the Bees’ goal somehow survived unscathed.

After 39 minutes Sonner’s free kick was headed on to the roof of the net by Phil Bolland after goalkeeper Simon Brown came out and missed the ball.

As the snow fell down on Griffin Park the Dragons almost equalised at the start of the second half.

Spender’s cross was touched on by a Brentford defender but Brown gathered the ball on the line.

At the other end Poole’s free kick was headed wide of the target by Connell.

Broughton placed a header comfortably into the arms of Brown as the Dragons tried to claw themselves back into the match, but the Bees almost caught Wrexham cold on the break when Shakes’ cross was headed wide by Nathan Elder.

Little made a double substitution after 66 minutes when he brought on Hall and Matt Done for Sonner and Neil Roberts.

The Dragons came within a whisker of equalising after 75 minutes when the jittery Brown spilled a shot and Proctor drove through a crowded area only for the goalkeeper to push the effort away.

The Bees put the game beyond Wrexham in the 81st minute when Connell headed on for Shakes to drill a low shot beyond Ward.

The defeat leaves the Dragons six points from safety ahead of a massive clash with Dagenham and Redbridge tomorrow.

It was a disappointing performance from Wrexham after their victory over Bury last weekend.

Little opted to go with a 4-4-2 formation but the plan did not work out as middle of the road Brentford earned the points.

Time appears to be running out for the Dragons and hopes of a great escape are fading.

Wrexham have enough games left but will have to perform much better if they are to avoid dropping out of league football.