Sports.com Andrew Cooke settled a pulsating contest with a 67th minute winner in front of an enthralled crowd at The Racecourse ground and lifted Stoke City to joint top of the table. Wrexham should have had a first-half lead when midfield organiser Darren Ferguson sent goalkeeper Gavin Ward the wrong way from the penalty spot but managed to shoot wide of the opposite post. Ward had conceded the spot kick by a reckless tackle that sent Wrexham striker Lee Trundle headlong and referee Paul Armstrong pointed straight to the spot but first booked the City keeper for the foul. Ward's team mates and the 3,000 watching Stoke fans were relieved to see him escape with only a yellow card. Wrexham had squandered two glorious chances apart from the penalty. Kevin Sharp started the move, Ferguson crossed from the left and Craig Faulconbridge missed a sitter, shooting straight at the goalkeeper when it seemed a certain goal. Wrexham had a penalty appeal turned down after Keith Hill went down under a challenge from Wayne Thomas and minutes later Hill was involved in a challenge on Stoke's Peter Hoekstra and again the penalty appeals were turned away. Wrexham had another chance when the bustling Trundle crossed for Faulconbridge to have a clear chance on goal, only to waste it with a misdirected header across the posts. Again with Stoke under severe pressure, Trundle cut in from the left, evaded three tackles and crossed for the unmarked Robin Gibson who, with plently of time to control the ball, lashed it first time over the bar into the visitors' stand. Another cross from Faulconbridge could have brought a goal but Sharp headed against Trundle as both went for the ball with the net beckoning only six yards away. Although it was not a dirty game the referee cautioned nine players, much to the disappointment of both managers who said that they saw little wrong with some of the tackles in an exciting encounter. Wrexham made three late substitutions in a bid to catch up but Stoke held out and were helped by a sharp offside trap which twice stopped Trundle and Faulconbridge in their tracks. Stoke manager Gudjon Thordarson said: "The penalty could have been a turning point and I was surprised that Darren missed because he is an experienced player. It is nice to be on the top of the table but we need to strengthen the team and there is still a long way to go. We were lucky to get the points." Denis Smith, the former Stoke player now in charge at Wrexham, said: "We can't play any better. We have absolutely murdered them. They are at the top of the League and I don't think that anyone can tell the difference between them and us." |
