WREXHAM 2, ALDERSHOT TN 2

ALDERSHOT Town left North Wales with a point and many of the plaudits, but attracted only criticism from their management after once more failing to win a game they had dominated.

Seasoned Wrexham observers reckoned the Shots to be the best team to visit the Racecourse Ground in the last year or more, but that was scant solace to Gary Waddock and James Rowe, who saw the chances spurned at one end compounded by defensive errors at the other.

In the end, they twice had to come from behind to snatch a draw and assistant manager Rowe said: “We’ve been punished for our mistakes and it’s not the first time it’s happened this season. Yes, we’ve shown character, and we’ve dominated the game, but those mistakes will cost us what we want to achieve this season. We need to grow up and we need to learn, and that can’t keep happening.”

Despite, bizarrely, losing both goalkeeper Lewis Ward and midfielder Jim Kellermann to leg injuries during the warm-up – which necessitated Jake Gallagher being employed as an emergency right-back – the visitors took the game to Wrexham in composed and stylish fashion straight from kick-off.

The Dragons were surprisingly meek for a side on a nine-game unbeaten run and should have fallen behind inside 15 minutes as Scott Rendell tried to dribble around goalkeeper Chris Dunn, only to shoot straight at his prone body.

Soon, Will Evans’ angled header was cleared off the line by Sam Wedgbury, but Wrexham were gifted a totally undeserved lead on 22 minutes. Jake Cole fumbled an attempted punch as he met Jonathan Franks’ near-post corner and the ball squirmed into the net, with Scott Quigley claiming the final touch.

Adam McDonnell and Manny Oyeleke shot wide from distance, while Shamir Fenelon volleyed across goal from a good position as Aldershot continued to be quicker, stronger and more creative than their opponents.

Finally, Fenelon did equalise on 43 minutes, glancing a header in from Josh McQuoid’s cross at the end of a fine move which swiftly moved the full length of the pitch.

The Shots also started the second half apace and McQuoid pulled a drive inches past the post. At the other end, Cole had to claw Manny Smith’s header off the line.

And Aldershot were behind again on 58 minutes. Chris Holroyd’s flick sent Quigley racing in behind a static defence to shoot past Cole with ease.

Dunn then parried Fenelon’s effort at point-blank range, but Aldershot would not be denied and it was Callum Reynolds who equalised with another deft header on 75 minutes. James Rowe’s devilish, inswinging corner was glanced over the line by the Shots captain before being cleared away.

Even then, Quigley should have completed his hat-trick on 88 minutes. Again faced with only the goalkeeper, he snatched his eight-yard shot horribly wide.

Franks then volleyed over in stoppage time and finally Aldershot had escaped with a draw which could easily have been a defeat, but should undeniably have been a crucial victory.

Waddock’s frustration was clear with a side which are at times unplayable, but too often also their own worst enemies.

Wrexham: Dunn, Jennings, Smith, Pearson, Wedgbury, Quigley, Holroyd (Ainge 87), Deverdics, Franks, Kelly, Roberts. Subs (not used): Raven, Mackreth, Rutherford, Wright. Brooked: Jennings, Holroyd.

Aldershot: Cole; Gallagher (Taylor 68), Evans, Reynolds, Kinsella; Oyeleke (Robert 73), McDonnell; Fenelon, Rowe, McQuoid (McClure 84); Rendell. Booked: Gallagher, McDonnell, Evans.

Referee: Thomas Bramall.

Attendance: 4,662 (249 away).

• Due to the re-arrangement of Gateshead’s FA Trophy replay with Leyton Orient, the National League fixture between Aldershot and Gateshead, scheduled for Tuesday, March 6 , will now also be re-arranged.