After the frustrations of back to back postponements Keith Hill's side returned to winning ways with a thoroughly professional performance against their struggling hosts. Understandably a little ring rusty after an un scheduled 18 day break there was still enough quality in the side to extend an unbeaten away record that goes back now to mid August and ensure that with 2 and in some cases 3 games in hand over the teams above them Dale are very much in touching distance of the Play off places.
Still without John Doolan the manager opted for the experience of Lee Crooks alongside Gary Jones in midfield and though the skipper was at much less than 100 % due to illness that particular battle was well and truly won. At the back Nathan Stanton is approaching his best as he returns to fitness and up front Glenn Murray appears to put his early season blip well and truly behind him.
The visitors started much the brighter and very much deserved the lead that they carved out after just 8 minutes. A Tom Kennedy throw found man of the match Adam Rundle in space and his cross found Kallum Higginbotham who fired it in hard and low for Murray to cleverly lift over keeper Anthony Williams from 5 yards.
The home side had a great chance to draw level just 90 seconds later when a Ryan Valentine free kick dropped in the box for giant defender Steve Evans but with the goal at his mercy he thank fully fired wide from 8 yards.
Playing towards their vociferous fans Dale were denied not 1 but 2 very good penalty shouts as first of all on 15 minutes Murray was blocked from turning another excellent Rundle cross into an empty net and then 10 minutes the same player was rugby tackled by Richard Hope when odds on to score- incredibly though referee Evans gave a free kick outsided the area and didn't warrant the "tackle" sufficient for any colour of card when many of his colleagues would have showed red.
After Rundle had volloyed wide when placed Wrexham crreated another clear cut opportunity when after a great block by Simon Ramsden the ball ricoched to Neil Roberts only for the former Wigan athletic goalscorer, who sadly looks a pale shadow of his former self,to react in slow motion and toe poke wide from 6 yards.
In the second half a measure of the problems facing Brian Little was that he sent his side out after the break with giant defender Evans pushed into attack as they tried an aeriel bombardment to get back into the game. Evans in fairness proved himself to a whole hearted warrior throwing himself at every hopeful punt that came his way but Sam Russell was not really troubled.
The perfect time to score again came as the Wrexham fans did their best to up the volume and urge their team to greater efforts. They also vented their spleen at former striker Lee McEvilly as he came of the bench around the hour mark but as so often happens the boos and vitriol that greeted the arrival of "Evil" only twisted the tail of the footballing Gods and with his first meaningful touch he doubled his sides lead and killed the game as a contest. Higginbotham, switched to the left , produced a great cross that just eluded the onrushing Murray,Adam Rundle picked up the pieces and when he returned it into the box Mc Evilly was on hand to score his 3rd goal in 4 games since returning to Spotland. Cue celebrations involved fingers to lips.
Wrexhams only real chance of the half saw Chris Llewellyn clevery elude 2 challenges to get off a hard low shot from the left corner of the box that Sam Russell reacted brilliantly to claw away.
Not exactly a vintage performance but bearing in mind the circumstances it was a very pleasing one.The win hasn't changed Dale's league position but it has drawn them closer to some of the teams above them.Games in hand have to be won but if they can be life could be very interesting in the next few weeks and months.
For now all roads to the Moss Rose on Saturday
