#away_days

Monday 27th August

It’s a new one for me today when I travel to Solihull for my first ever league game away. As I am in a power chair for games. I can’t go on Pats Coaches as many of Wrexham support. However, I am not the only supporter in power and wheelchair.

Wrexham A.F.C hired a Disability Liaison Officer at the back end of last year voluntary called Kerry Evans. Kerry herself is in power chair so she is perfect for the job. She organized away travel for power and wheelchair for 7 games. Ok, 7 games aren’t a lot in season. However, there was 0 last season. There’s only space for 4 power/wheelchairs so this service is very in demand.

Away travel is not the only thing that Kerry put in place. She organized home and away blankets with the club badge on home blankets. With the help of AEC Engineering, she got a ramp for the recent open day at MyRacecourse. It enabled power and wheelchair users to access the player's area via the player entrance. Last year, it wasn’t ideally for us to go and explore players’ area I am glad that it was ideally this year. The last thing, I noted that she put in place is Autism home games. I believe that the club lacked this in past seasons. However, every home game is autism-friendly. Well done Kerry.

I will talk about the teams now and as we are away side. I will talk about Solihull Moors first. They are sitting in 10th place with 10 points. They won 3, drawn 1 and lost 2. Their recent form is bad. they went to AFC Fylde and lost 3 - 1. Then, they were home against Sutton United and drawn 2 - 2. In their last game, they were at Harrogate Town and lost 3 - 1.

We are 1st in the table with 14 points and 2 points clear. We won 4 and drawn 2. Our form is good, we went to Maidenhead United and won 2 - 0. Then, we went to Eastleigh and won 1 - 3. In our last game, we host Bromley and drawn 2 - 2.

We played Solihull four times in the league. The first game was 16 August 2016, we were home and we won 1 - 0. The goal was scored by Mark Carrington. The second game was away and we won 0 - 1 on 25 February 2017. The goal was scored by Anthony Barry. On 21 November 2017, we were home and won 1 - 0. The goal was scored by Paul Rutherford. The last league was away and it was a goalless draw. My prediction is Solihull Moors 1 - 2 Wrexham. The prediction was recorded on 26/08/18

I will talk about the day now.

Me and my mum arrived at MyRacecourse for 11 o'clock in the morning. We met up with Kerry, Kings, Ian, his son, nephew and Andrew. Everyone got on the Valentines’ minibus in time to meet 7 Pat’s coaches to set off for Solihull.

I can’t really say what we discuss because I forgot. However, I enjoyed the trip in general because I have never travelled with Valentines and travel to an away game. It was the best experience. I want to say a huge thank you to their drivers Steve and Chris. Steve drove but Chris locked our wheelchairs and power chairs in to show Steve.

When we got there, Alun the Wrexham AFC photographer took a picture of us with the minibus. Then we went into the ground with help of Solihull Moors’ stewards who were very kind. We were sitting on their platforms until home supporters in wheelchairs came when they were thinking “how we do this then”. The platform should be prioritized for home wheelchairs users, no matter what. Kings asked can we (away supports) go and watch the game at the away end. I was expecting a “no you can’t do that” due to safety reasons. However, we were allowed and it was perfect. If we score or vice versa, it can be awkward if we stay with home fans. I know that scoring isn’t everything in a game but you know.

It was time to welcome the two teams onto the pitch.

This how Solihull Moors lined up like this:

1. Ryan Boot

2. Tyrone Williams

3. Jamie Reckord

4. Kyle Storer

6. Alex Gudger

5. Liam Daly

7. Jamey Osborne

8. Darren Carter

9. Adi Yussuf

10. Jermaine Hylton

19. Danny Wright

On their bench:

11. Daniel Sweeney

12. George Carline

17. Luke Maxwell

18. Jordan Murphy

22. Corey O’Keeffe

This how we lined up:

18. Rob Lainton

2. Kevin Roberts

4. Manny Smith

13. Mark Carrington

7. Luke Summerfield

5. Shaun Pearson

8. Luke Young

20. Akil Wright

9. Mike Fondop

10. Chris Holroyd

11. Rekeil Pyke

On our bench:

1. Christian Dibble

6. Scott Burgess

15. Jordan Maguire-Drew

19. Freddie Hinds

24. Doug Tharme

As I say in my first review on here, I used the review on Wrexham to remember the events of the game because I am an average fan. However, the match review doesn’t help me much. I tried Solihull Moors’ review and nothing more than Wrexham’s. However, I got some memories of the game off these reviews.

The first quarter of the first half did nothing to give either both set of fans to shout about. We have a bigger crowd despite we were away. However, Manny Smith was injured in the 30 minutes. If I honest, it was worrying to see one of our key players on the ground. In the end, referee requested a stretcher. They almost set it up but he was ok enough to hop off with the help of Wrexham’s physio. It’s an injury to his right leg. It doesn't seem that bad if he didn’t have to go off on a stretcher. However, it’s some such of bad injury if stretcher had to come on the pitch.

Sam Ricketts brought on Doug Tharme for the injured Manny Smith. It was Tharme’s second appearance in two days. He is at the age, 19, some manager will probably send out on loan instead of play but it’s good for him to play.

Hosts had a chance to score the opener moments after our substitute. When Jamey Osborne had a chance from outside of the box. The ball bounced in front of Rob Lainton but in the end, he saved it without any trouble.

Then Luke Summerfield nearly apologized for his own goal on Saturday and score. However, his shot went just wide of right-hand post. On the 44 minute, Rekeil Pyke crossed the ball from the right wing which found the head of Mike Fondop who headed it down to Chris Holroyd. However, his first-time shot from the edge of the box went wide.

The referee awarded the hosts a free kick late on in stoppage time. Darren Carter took it. He kicked it out of play. Halftime 0 - 0.

We started well with Kevin Roberts when he swung in a low cross. However, a defender managed to clear it. The hosts took the ball to the other end. It reaches Osbourne and he had a shot from long range. It didn’t trouble Lainton.

Wrexham was on a good counter-attack in the 54 minute which reaches Roberts. He crossed the ball to Holroyd for the header towards goal but Ryan Boot saved it.

Solihull went close when Danny Wright, used to play for Wrexham, had a chance to score from Jermaine Hylton’s cross. However, Lainton was up to the task. On the hour mark, Ricketts made his second change of the game. When he sent on Scott Burgess on for Summerfield. It was Burgess’ debut. At that time, the attendance was announced. It was 2,412 with 1,501 travelling fans.

The away fans wanted Jordan Maguire-Drew on for a while now. They finally got their wish in the 68 minutes when Ricketts sent him on for Fondop. The referee saw Solihull’s assistant manager throwing a water bottle. A new ruling in place allows the referee to book him.

Shaun Pearson was next to be booked for a foul 30 yards out. Solihull didn’t take the free kick very well. However, they got the ball back and got a corner. Wrexham should have gone on the counter-attack. However, Liam Duly was the one to thank when he head it out for Wrexham’s goal kick.

The clock had nine minutes left when Solihull found the opener. Kyle Storer had a free kick which he managed to send the ball into Wrexham’s box. It was knocked down by Daly to Alex Gudger when he put it in the net. Solihull 1 - 0 Wrexham.

I noticed that Boot was wasting time when he had a free kick. He put the ball on a spot but he didn’t like it so moved it again. I think he did it twice and it should have resulted in a booking but never.

We had 8 minutes of added time which home fans were nervous about. However, we didn’t do much. This was first defeat of the season for Wrexham.

Wrexham went down to second with a point off the top. We got back at 7 after overtaking and beating coaches. They set off before us. There are 6 more away games with wheelchair minibus. I highly recommend it.