Former Wrexham AFC manager Sam Ricketts. has joined Shrewsbury.

Rekeil Fires Crucial Goal For Dragons At Racecourse

Wrexham maintained their unbeaten home record thanks to Rekeil Pyke’s goal in a 1-0 win against struggling Havant and Waterlooville at the Racecourse.

The Dragons kept a 10th clean sheet of the season and manager Sam Ricketts said: “I’m delighted to win and the performance was good.

“We just couldn’t score the second goal that would have taken the sting out of the game because their keeper, Ben Dudzinski, made four or five excellent saves. If he wasn’t their man of the match, I’d be surprised.

“We’re in a really good place. Playing well, not outstanding, but all I keep trying to do is push to up that performance level.

“I work to influence our performance. The better our performance, the more chances we’ll create.

“Team spirit is excellent. There is no moaning and groaning because we’ll only achieve something as a squad.

“It won’t be individuals, it won’t be 11 players. It will be the whole group.”

Pyke returned to the line-up after injury in place of injured Chris Holroyd and suspended Mike Fondop.

Wrexham’s Jordan Maguire-Drew hit the bar twice before Pyke’s excellent curling effort on the half hour gave Wrexham the lead. He received the ball with his back to goal, working space to shoot and curling into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Wrexham stay fourth following this win, while Havant & Waterlooville remain 21st.

Akil Wright and Paul Rutherford on for the Dragons in place of Brad Walker and Maguire-Drew. Rutherford’s fresh legs almost proved crucial on 84 minutes, when he raced onto Young’s clearance and found Pyke to his left, but the shot was blocked.

Wrexham’s one-goal lead looked fragile when Jake Lawlor conceded a free-kick on the right of the area on 87 minutes, but Josh Huggins headed wide from former Wales international Brian Stock’s cross.

Wrexham’s final substitution saw Nicky Deverdics replace Beavon and he went close in the final minute, but his left-foot free-kick from 18 yards deflected wide.

Dragons managed the game well in stoppage time, running the clock down to ensure a second consecutive 1-0 win.

Wrexham now have back-to-back away fixtures, visiting Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday, October 13 and Chesterfield two weeks later.

Ricketts and his team will then go into home matches against Hartlepool (Tuesday, October 30) and Gateshead (Saturday, November 3).

Wrexham AFC: (4-3-3): Lainton, Roberts, Pearson, Lawlor, Carrington, Summerfield, Walker (Wright 83), Young, Maguire-Drew (Rutherford 76), Beavon (Deverdics 87), Pyke. Subs: Dibble, Tharme.

Havant & Waterlooville: (5-3-2): Dudzinski, Huggins, Cordner, Woodford, Harris (Strugnell 79), Tarbuck, Stock, Lewis (Cosgrave 73), Robinson, Sekajja (Pavey 73), Kabamba. Subs: Rose, Robinson.

Referee: Simon Mather (Manchester)

Attendance: 4,323 (40)

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE

POS TEAM PLD W D L GF GA GD PTS
1 SALFORD CITY 15 10 3 2 30 12 18 33
2 LEYTON ORIENT 15 9 5 1 29 10 19 32
3 HARROGATE TOWN 15 9 5 1 30 15 15 32
4 WREXHAM 15 9 4 2 20 8 12 31
5 SOLIHULL MOORS 15 9 1 5 21 16 5 28
6 HARTLEPOOL 15 7 6 2 18 14 4 27
7 AFC FYLDE 15 6 8 1 20 7 13 26
8 GATESHEAD 15 8 2 5 20 13 7 26
9 SUTTON UTD 15 7 5 3 20 17 3 26
10 EASTLEIGH 15 7 2 6 13 17 -4 23
11 BARNET 15 6 4 5 15 17 -2 22
12 BARROW 15 6 3 6 19 17 2 21
13 FC HALIFAX 15 5 5 5 17 17 0 20
14 BOREHAM WOOD 15 5 4 6 16 19 -3 19
15 EBBSFLEET UNITED 15 5 3 7 17 19 -2 18
16 BROMLEY 15 4 5 6 20 24 -4 17
17 MAIDENHEAD UTD 15 5 2 8 19 23 -4 17
18 ALDERSHOT 15 5 2 8 15 22 -7 17
19 MAIDSTONE UTD 15 4 2 9 11 19 -8 14
20 CHESTERFIELD 15 3 4 8 12 18 -6 13
21 HAVANT AND W 15 2 5 8 18 29 -11 11
22 DAG & RED 15 2 3 10 11 22 -11 9
23 DOVER 15 1 4 10 13 32 -19 7
24 BRAINTREE TOWN 15 1 3 11 9 26 -17 6

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