The Blues and Wrexham remained locked at 0-0 at half-time at Portman Road.

Town made five changes from the side which won 4-1 away at Swansea before the international break with Cedric Kipre, Sindre Walle Egeli, Jaden Philogene, Chuba Akpom and Ivan Azon coming into the XI and Jacob Greaves, Kasey McAteer, Marcelino Nunez, Jack Clarke and George Hirst dropping to the bench.

For Wrexham, James McClean, Josh Windass and Sam Smith came into the team with former Blues striker Kieffer Moore, a starter in all the Welsh side’s previous league games, and on-loan Manchester City midfielder Issa Kabore dropping out with hamstring injuries, while another ex-Town forward, Nathan Broadhead, was a sub.

With raining falling heavily, Town threatened for the first time in the second minute, Darnell Furlong playing a ball in behind for Akpom, which the on-loan Ajax man only just failed to reach before it bounced off the wet surface through to Arthur Okonkwo in the visitors’ goal.

Within a minute, Furlong was played in on the right but his cutback failed to find a teammate. However, the ball was only knocked out as far as Walle Egeli, whose shot was straight at Okonkwo.

There was a scare for the Blues moments later when keeper Christian Walton’s pass out from the back found Windass on the edge of the box but the former Sheffield Wednesday man was quickly closed down and his shot was blocked.

Town subsequently went through a shaky spell before regaining control, albeit without creating an opportunity until the 11th minute when Philogene was played in on the left and clipped over a dipping cross which McClean nodded over from off the line under the bar.

From the corner on the right, O’Shea nodded back in from the far post and Okonkwo turned it over for another flag-kick, this time from the left. The Town skipper headed that into the middle from deep, it was returned to him and his edge-of-the-area low strike flew not far wide of Okonkwo’s right post.

Just after the half hour, O’Shea’s excellent long diagonal pass found Philogene in space on the left, the former England U21 international taking it on round the defender rather than cutting in, before laying back to Leif Davis, whose low shot was too close to Okonkwo.

In the 25th minute, with Jack Taylor receiving treatment in the centre circle and the game having gone a little flat, Broadhead started warming up and was applauded by his old fans in the North Stand and was then hugged by former teammate Hirst.

Three minutes later, a wayward pass out from the back by Wrexham gifted the ball to Akpom around 30 yards out but the former Arsenal trainee seemed to be caught in two minds whether to shoot or pass and the ball was stabbed away from him as he drove towards the edge of the area.

On 37, with the game having remained less than enthralling, Town having seen a lot of the ball but without finding a way into the Wrexham final third, George Thomason was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon for a wild lunge through Akpom in front of the dugouts.

Town began to get up something of a head of steam as half-time approached with their fans getting behind them, sensing they needed to play their part.

In the 42nd minute, Akpom and Azon exchanged passes on the edge of the box, the ex-Middlesbrough man for a second appearing to be in on goal before being crowded out. Referee Dean Whitestone waved away hopeful Blues penalty appeals.

In the final scheduled minute, Philogene played a one-two with Taylor on the edge of the area as he cut inside and Okonkwo uncomfortably palmed his strike behind for a corner.

Town appealed for a penalty for handball by a Wrexham player as the ball was sent back in following the corner, before referee Whitestone ended the half.

The Blues had been in control for almost the entire 45 minutes with Wrexham not having threatened, aside from Windass’s early shot which was blocked a foot or so in front of him.

At the other end, Okonkwo had been forced into a number of saves but none which would have got the crowd on their feet.

While Town had had some moments of inspiration, they had huffed and puffed for long spells against the visitors, whose intention to frustrate them had been clear from the off.

A bit more guile and invention looks required after the break with the Blues’ subs once again looking likely to have to play a significant part in the second half.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea, Kipre, Davis, Matusiwa, Taylor, Walle Egeli, Akpom, Philogene, Azon. Subs: Button, Johnson, Greaves, Young, Cajuste, McAteer, Nunez, J Clarke, Hirst. 

Wrexham: Okonkwo, Cleworth, Scarr, Hyam, Longman, Dobson, Sheaf, Thomason, McClean, Windass, Smith. Subs: Burton, Doyle, Coady, Barnett, James, O’Brien, Ashfield, Broadhead, Hardie. Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northampton).

Photo: Matchday Images

Northstandveteran added 16:03 - Nov 22 Wrexham are playing deep but leaving 2 up front. They're planning a smash and grab.
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JPR77 added 17:17 - Nov 22 Very, very disappointing. With the quality we have, surely a settled consistent starting 11 without all the weekly tinkering would’ve dispatched this average on the day Wrexham side convincingly. January can’t come quick enough, fresh fire power needed. On a positive note, Walle looks awesome!! UT
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