The Wright stuff

Wright and Morris forged a fearsome partnership in their first outing together as the Aggborough outfit recovered well from an early Wrexham salvo to take a point.

While Wright deserves credit for his well-taken double, the return of Morris after a two and a half match absence because of a hamstring problem, gave Burr’s attack-minded outfit a cunning cutting edge.

“We were a bit overwhelmed I think by the crowd but I think we did well to get back into the game,” commented Wright.

“My second goal I just got lucky because it went through the keeper’s legs but for the first they made it easy for me.

“It’s not just me, it’s the team as well.

“Without Lee Morris putting me in I wouldn’t have scored either goal, as he set me up for both.

“He’s got a lot experience and he’s teaching me a lot to be fair and I know he’ll get some goals as well.”

With both sides going into this clash on the back of two defeats and a host of goals conceded, expectations were high of an open match and a blistering start by Wrexham confirmed that theory.

Harriers, who had looked rocky after defeats to Mansfield and Southport, were trailing in the fourth minute, when David Brown’s backheader looped over keeper Danny Lewis.

But there was nothing the keeper could have done about the Dragons’ second two minutes later, as former Harrier Dean Keates unleashed a volley which arced into the top right corner.

It looked like a bad night but Wrexham’s leaky defence, which had conceded seven goals in the previous two games, looked fragile and Harriers probed for an opening.

Wright almost grabbed a lifeline in the 14th minute but his weak effort was dived upon by keeper Scott Shearer and 60 seconds later his actions denied Harriers a reply.

The hosts fail to deal with Callum Gittings’ corner and Tom Shaw prodded the ball goalwards, but the linesman raised a flag for offside after Wright, standing on the goal line, flicked up a boot to take the last touch.

But the forward redeemed himself emphatically with a goal on the stroke of half-time. He raced onto Morris’ astute through ball and as keeper Shearer dithered, Wright rounded him and slotted the ball into the back of the net.

Harriers’ fledgling strikeforce combined again brilliantly in the 52nd minute to conjure up a leveller.

Once again Morris’ pass allowed Wright to race into the box and the forward’s low right-footed effort from a tight angle slipped between Shearer’s legs.

Morris almost capped a fine display with a goal of his own on the hour mark.

He sprinted 30-yards with the ball at his feet into the box, but with the keeper committing himself early, the hitman could only hit a tame effort towards him.

With the centre back pairing of Tom Sharpe and Michael Briscoe looking strong and Wrexham misfiring, the home fans turned on manager Dean Saunders and began chanting for him to leave.

Afterwards Wright, dedicated the win to Burr.

He said: “I think Wrexham were in the same position as us, they had lost a few on the bounce and we had nothing to lose.

“We know what their fans are like, they get on their back when things go wrong.

“The way we started it looked like it may be one of those games, but we kicked on and got the draw in the end.

“Before the game the gaffer said he had complete faith in us.

“He’s brought us all together and of course we wanted to go out there and do it for him.”

The only drawback from the night was Callum Gittings being stretchered off in the second half with a reoccurence of his shin problem.

Harriers: Lewis 6; Williams 7; Shaw 6; Hankin 6 (Blair, 66); Briggs 8; Morris 8 (Hadley, 78); Byrne 6; Wright 9; Sharpe 6; Briscoe 7; Gittings 6 (McPhee, 50). Unused substitutes: Stevens; Griffiths.

Wrexham: Shearer; Ashton; Andrews; Blackburn; Brown (Harris, 61); Mangan; Morrell (Taylor, 79); Keates; Smith; Knight-Percival (Cieslewicz, 61); Walker.

Unused substitutes: Tolley; Gall.

Referee: GJ Adcock. Attendance: 2,477 (107)