It is often too easy to slag off match officials, but the less we say about Mr Drysdale the better - or the Football League will come chasing after us!
There was another hurdle for Denis Smith's men to get over before the game had even kicked off, as Steve Roberts had to be withdrawn following a injury picked up in the warm-up.He was replaced by Shaun Pejic in a direct swap, with 17th -man Kieran Quinn stepping up to the bench.
All the early pressure was applied by the home side and sam Parkin was cmbining wel with Lwee Holmes down the left flank and on a few occasions the ball flew across the Wrexham goalmouth.
It took 14 minutes for the Dragons to creaqte their first concerted attack, which came from an Andy Holt that Dennis Lawrence knocked down for Chris Llewellyn to lift over the top and while Ugarte forced young keeper Steve Book into a mistake he was
Then against the run of play that man uan Ugarte claimed the game's opening goal, when he raced through the centre to benefit from great work by Hector Sam, who had made ground down the left to chase a pass from Crowell, before looking up and sliding in a nice pass to the Basque to score from six-yards.Minutes later Crowell almost added a second with a neat curling effort from the side of the box, that the keeper did well to het down to claim the effort.
Ther was another half chance for the visitors on 25 minutes when Llewellyn flicked a loose ball over Book, but while the keeper was lost, his defence came to the rescue with two red shirts covering back to clear off the line.
Another spell of pressure for Swindon was ended on 32 minutes, when Ugarte flicked a ball over the keeper and the retrieve the ball by the touchline to cross into the middle for Hector Sam to beat his markers and crash the ball home from close range.
The home side showed that they were still a force to eal with, when Duke's cross was headed on by Parkin and the crowd held its collective breath as the ball flashed past Foster's left hand post and behind for a goalkick!
Then as the minutes counted down to the interval, a long throw in by Duke arrived at the Wrexham near post where two players missed the ball and when it bounced on Sam Parkin made good use of his large frame to head home from close-range.
Wonderful play by Sam on the left side of the box should have seen the Reds score a third, when he turned Jenkins inside out to lay the ball back into the feet of Llewellyn, but from 15-yards out the Welsh international comletely failed to hit the target as his effort spun away towards the far corner flag.
Lifted by their good fortune Swindon went in search of a leveller before the break and another cross from the Wrexham right was met by the head of Miglioranzi, who from the edge of the box put his effort on target, but Foster covered across to make a good save.
No changes for either side at the break, as Swindon started the second period in the same lively manaer they did the first.
Manager Andy King made his first change on 59 minutes with the talanted Sammy Igoe being replaced by Brian Howard. A minute later Jerel Ifil appeared from Duke, with Swindon changing their line-up to match the visitors.
A long ball over the top caused us problems as Foster's clearance went straight to Roberts, who twisted and turned into the box before firing a low shot that the Wrexham keeper did well to hold onto as it bounced awkwardly in front of him.
Carlos Edwards broke on the right and took pass from Sam, but as he battled to bring the ball under control the keeper raced from his line to deny the Trindiadian a shot at goal from the angle. King sent on his last substitute as Andy Caton appeared for Welshman Christan Roberts, who was just back from a long-term injury.
Wrexham were caught out on 76 minutes when Jenkins chased a long ball down the right and although Foster raced from his line, he was able to chip it into the mddle where Sam Parkin had another easy chance to draw his team level.
Two minutes later Howard went down very easily on the edge of the Wrexham box and up stepped Grant Smith to hammer a firece drive through the wall, and slight deflectionensured it flew past Foster.
The introduction of Chris Armstrong immediately caused problems to the home defence and as the striker headed a ball into the goalmouth Sam jumped at the back post but headed wide from close range. Soon afterwards Wrexham players were furious when Sam was fouled by Heywood, who had both hands on his shoulders, but the official flattly refused to accept it was a foul. Lawrence eventually got booked for arguing the point!. Then first year referee Mr. Drysdale took the mickey out of the visitors by pointing to the spot for Swindon's first penalty of the season, as Jenkins went down in stages under a challenge from substitute Mackin. Sam Parkin converted from 12-yards!
While we managed to throw away a two-goal lead in the second half, the match official then contributed with an amazing succession of decisions which finally cost us even a vital point - it was a real sickner and the referee even stayed 50-yards away on the far side of the pitch at the final whistle.
Swindon: Steve Book, Steve Jenkins, Matt Heywood, Sean O'Hanlon, David Duke, Christian Roberts (Andy Caton 74), Grant Smith, Stefani Miglioranzi, Lee Holmes, Sammy Igoe (Brian Howard 59), Sam Parkin. Subs:Rhys Evans, Matthew Hewlett, Jerel Ifil.
Wrexham: Ben Foster, Shaun Foster, Criag Morgan, Dennis Lawrence, Carlos Edwards, Andy Holt, Scott Green (Levi Mackin 90), Matt Crowell, Chris Llewellyn, Hector Sam, Juan Ugarte (Chris Armstrong 76). Subs: Andy Dibble, Simon Spender, Kieron Quinn.
Referee: D, Drysdale () Attendance: 5,123
Bookings Wrexham: Lawrence (84, dissent)
