Resolute Quakers still search to end bad run

And while the battling goalless draw at play-off chasing Wrexham extended Quakers' winless run to six games, caretaker boss Mick Tait must take heart from his side which muscled its way to a hard-earned point at the Racecourse Ground.

At the very least he must be hoping for more of the same when high-flying Hartlepool visit Feethams for the final time on Saturday.

But while keeping their first clean sheet in ten attempts - a 0-0 with Macclesfield on December 21 was the last - Quakers suffered their fourth red card of the season when Gary Pearson was dismissed in the closing stages.

The result was Tait's third draw in the last four games and 15th from 32 games since he replaced Tommy Taylor.

In front of the on-looking Sir Alex Ferguson - taking the opportunity to watch his son Darren - Tait named the returning Matt Clarke as a lone striker with Ian Clark having to settle for a place on the bench.

But for much of the game the former Halifax man, thrown up front to give Quakers a physical presence in the absence of suspended Barry Conlon, barely got a look in.

Richard Hodgson was also handed a recall after being dropped for last week's 1-1 draw at Lincoln, along with former Robins winger Neil Wainwright who missed out at Sincil Bank with a hamstring injury.

In a fairly tame start which produced few openings it was Wrexham who looked the more livelier going forward with the Third Division's top scorer Andy Morrell always a threat.

At the other end well-travelled goalkeeper Andy Dibble was spared his blushes in the seventh minute when he hesitated before coming out to hack clear Neil Maddison's through ball which was intended for Ashley Nicholls.

The home side, who had recorded four wins from their last five prior to yesterday, showed plenty of inventiveness in going forward and Quakers keeper Andy Collett was forced to collect at the second attempt from Morrell's turning shot from the left after 17 minutes.

Moments later the Quakers defence was at full stretch when Shaun Holmes' drive from the left was helped on by Lee Trundle and a wicked deflection only to be cleared off the line by Wrexham-born defender Ryan Valentine.

It was full-back Valentine who recorded Quakers' first effort on goal when he had Dibble scurrying across his goal to palm wide a low drive from the left.

Morrell should have done better when he found time inside the penalty area only to drag a woeful effort wide of Collett's goal and seconds later the Robins forward headed straight at the keeper from Holmes' cross.

After a less than convincing first-half the game burst into life in the second period with the home side looking to break down a resolute Quakers defence which had so far stood firm.

First Carlos Edwards tested the visitors' rearguard when his inswinging cross was partially headed towards goal by Trundle but Whitehead's presence did enough to help Collett collect safely.

There were screams for a penalty in the 52nd minute when Morrell went down under the challenge from Whitehead only for the referee to wave play on much to the disgust to the home crowd.

And just minutes later Collett was called into action when he palmed away a stinging Holmes' drive from the left.

As demonstrated at Lincoln a week earlier Quakers showed that they were quite happy to sit back and soak up the pressure while defending in numbers .

The more Quakers invited the home side forward the more frustration set in for the red and white shirts and defender Carey was the next to be denied when his close-range header was deflected wide. On a rare venture forward Quakers almost took a surprise lead when the isolated Clarke headed down for Hodgson, whose half volley was tipped wide by Dibble. Morrell headed wide from Edwards' dangerous cross with Collett surely beaten.

Pearson's dismissal late on did little to force any cracks in a rock solid Quakers defence which held on to claim a valuable point.

Result: Wrexham 0 Darlington 0.

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