Wanderers extended their unbeaten start to the season but had to settle for a point from a goalless draw with League One new boys Wrexham, writes Pete Oliver.
The Whites’ biggest home crowd since their Premier League days more than a decade ago weren’t treated to a goal.
But they did see Wanderers have the better of a lively contest against a Wrexham outfit tipped to challenge for a third successive promotion under their high-profile US-based owners.
Robins’ goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo collected Sky Sports’ man-of-the-match after making a couple of big saves and Wanderers were also denied what looked like an injury-time penalty when captain Ricardo Almeida Santos had his shirt lifted up his back.
With nothing given there was to be no end to the stalemate but with a first clean sheet and another point on the board Wanderers took a step forward without showing the sharpness in front of goal they will hope comes as their campaign moves into top gear.
Following a warm minute’s applause in memory of club greats Tommy Banks and Roy Greaves and with the backing of a fantastic crowd behind them, Wanderers started on the front foot.
All the early threat came from Evatt’s men as they swarmed over the visitors, epitomised by the energy of George Johnston on an outstanding first league start since April 2023 as he and John McAtee were drafted in as the two changes from the starting line-up from the Whites’ opening day win at Leyton Orient.
Aaron Collins forced Okonkwo into a decent save to keep a curling effort out of the bottom corner and the Wrexham keeper then had to be alert to touch a free-kick from Josh Sheehan over the top in a frantic passage of play that saw Wanderers just fail to get the decisive touch from a corner-enduced goalmouth scramble.
Collins also picked out Dion Charles for an effort he clipped onto the roof of the Wrexham net as Wanderers probed for an opening.
But the Welshmen – on their first ever visit to the Toughsheet Community Stadium following back-to-back promotions to get them back to League One level for the first time in over 20 years – managed to survive the early test.
And although their threat was almost solely down to set-plays, Ricardo Almeida Santos had to make one sharp block to charge down an effort from Tom O’Connor following a corner as the side managed by ex-Bolton boss Phil Parkinson eased their way into the contest.
If neither side had created a really clear chance before the break, that changed within minutes of the re-start.
The lively Jack Marriott tested Nathan Baxter, who was equal to the Wrexham’s striker’s effort with an excellent save before the Whites broke at the other end with McAtee feeding Charles for an effort which again called Okonkwo into action.
That wasn’t a difficult save but the former Arsenal youngster was stretched to keep Wanderers out from their best move of the game with almost an hour gone as the Whites regained the initiative and almost took the lead.
McAtee and Sheehan were involved in the build-up before Thomason slipped the ball into Charles. His turn and shot were top-drawer but at full length Okonkwo stuck out a hand to keep the striker’s effort out of the top corner.
At the other end Elliot Lee fired just over the top from long range as the game really opened up going into the final quarter and again Wanderers went close to breaking the deadlock as Eoin Toal almost squeezed in a far-post header from a corner from summer signing Szabolcs Schön – who again caught the eye.
Both sides then made changes and Wrexham substitute Steven Fletcher forced another save from Baxter with a strike from 20 yards.
But it was Wanderers who ended the game on the front foot as they looked for a late winner and from a stoppage-time corner they might have had the chance to earn one had referee Benjamin Speedie seen the challenge on Santos in a different way.
Wanderers: Baxter; Toal, Almeida Santos, Johnston; Dacres-Cogley (Osei-Tutu 76), Sheehan (Matete 82), Thomason, Schön; McAtee (Arfield 76), Charles (Adeboyejo 72), Collins (Dempsey 72). Substitutes: Morley, Forino.
Booked: Almeida Santos, Schön
Wrexham: Okonkwo; Cleworth, O’Connell, O’Connor; Dobson; Revan, Cannon, Lee (Evans 91), McClean; Marriott (Rathbone 79), Palmer (Fletcher 72). Substitutes: Burton, Dalby, Scarr, Barnett.
Booked: O’Connor
Referee: Benjamin Speedie
Attendance: 25,957 (3,668)