The title-winning Hatters completed their third champions’ season in five years across the Welsh border where they were edged out by the odd goal in three at second-placed Wrexham, who will be going up with them into League One for next term.
What had – at the start, and for many spells, of the season – looked to be a mouth-wateringly ‘winner takes all’ showdown was, in the event, with both sides already assured of promotion, rather more of a celebration for two clubs whose paths, after some hard times, had once again been crossing with greater frequency, and with some added interest and buzz, in recent years.
But in front of a sell-out attendance at the STōK Cae Ras, they produced a closely-fought contest – with Connor Lemonheigh Evans on target for the Hatters just before the half-hour, and the ‘Red Dragons’ netting early and late in the second half to claim all three points on the day.
The result at the end of a campaign to remember saw the Hatters finish four points clear at the top of the table. Their points total for a Football League campaign (92) and goals scored away from home (48) represented all-time club records over the season as a whole – which earlier had also seen them equal the fourth tier’s all-time record of 12 consecutive victories.
County emerged from the players’ tunnel on a cloudy North Walian afternoon, and to a guard of honour from the hosts. The starting line-up showed three changes from that which had taken to the field at Edgeley Park against Accrington a week previously – with Neill Byrne, Myles Hippolyte and Nick Powell replacing Ethan Bristow and Paddy Madden (both of whom were named among the substitutes), as well as the injured Kyle Knoyle. Kyle Wootton, for his second time as a Hatter, wore the captain’s armband in Madden’s stead.
The ‘Red Dragons’, for their part, included among the home starters influential midfielder Andy Cannon, who had spent time on loan with the Hatters in the closing stages of their title-winning National League campaign, whilst on loan from Hull, during the spring of 2022.
With just over five minutes played, Powell fashioned the first shot on goal – albeit one at a comfortable height for home goalkeeper, Arthur Okonkwo, to catch cleanly. And at the other end, three minutes later, Ollie Palmer blasted well over after latching on to a long ball.
Paul Mullin – joint second-top scorer in League Two – went a little closer than his striking partner, with an effort on the turn from inside the box that narrowly cleared the crossbar, before Tom O’Connor, to the left of goal, drilled a low drive beyond the far upright.
One minute before the half-hour, the first goal arrived – courtesy of a Welshman, but for the club visiting from the other side of the border. Callum Camps shimmied past James McClean on the left, before teeing up Swansea-born Lemonheigh Evans who converted with a low shot in off the far post for his sixth goal of the season – as well as County’s first at Wrexham in three trips and for the same number of years.
Antoni Sarcevic, playing his 100th game as a Hatter, was well placed to double the advantage a few minutes later – but dragged his shot wide of the left upright.
Ben Hinchliffe, who, ahead of the game, had been confirmed League Two’s ‘Golden Glove’ winner for keeping 17 clean sheets, held on to the ball at the near post, after O’Connor had cut in from the left and been put under pressure by Camps. And, a couple of minutes before the break, County’s Number One proceeded to block Palmer at point-blank range, following good work on the right by skipper Luke Young.
HALF-TIME: Wrexham 0, County 1 (Lemonheigh Evans, 29).
County introduced Madden upon the resumption – but, within two minutes, Wrexham had levelled through Palmer, who raced on to a lofted ball from Eoghan O’Connell before slotting past Hinchliffe.
Ten minutes later, Madden connected with a Lemonheigh Evans cross from the right, but headed wide of the near post. And a dozen minutes after the hour, County earned two corners in quick succession – both of which were delivered by Sarcevic from the right, with the first leading to a Fraser Horsfall header that Young deflected behind, and the second to a shot by Camps that fizzed past the far post.
McClean saw a shot deflected into the arms of Hinchliffe, as the hosts – roared on by more than 11,400 of those present – strove for a winner, and they netted it three minutes from time as Cannon came back to haunt his old club by cutting in from the right and blasting a rocket of a shot into the far-top corner.
And so ended the season, as well as the Hatters’ eight-match winning run and an unbeaten stretch that had spanned 13 games.
But, lest it be forgotten, precisely five years ago to the day, County were plying their trade as a part-time outfit in regional non-league football – for what was the National League North title-clinching fixture at Nuneaton. We Hatters have come a long, long way…
Gweld chi eto tymor nesaf!/See you again next season!
FULL-TIME: Wrexham 2 (Palmer, 47; Cannon, 87), County 1 (Lemonheigh Evans, 29).
Team (3-5-2): Hinchliffe; Byrne (Cass, 90), Horsfall, Pye; Lemonheigh Evans, Powell (Richards, 63), Camps, Sarcevic, Hippolyte (Touray, 63); Barry (Madden, 46), Wootton (Capt.).
Unused Subs: Smith, Bristow, Knight.
Booked: Madden, Camps, Pye.
Attendance: 12,562 (1,127 away).
Reporter: Gareth Evans.
Photographer: Mike Petch.
