If the Football Association want to produce a video on how not to defend they could do no worse than distribute a tape of the first half of this match. It would have sent a certain television pundit apoplectic and was hardly a ringing endorsement for either set of defenders. Still, it made for an entertaining game. All four goals were down to bad defending and, in the case of the first, some questionable goalkeeping as well. A simple cross from Andy Holt was enough to cause a state of chaos in the Walsall defence. Several times, they tried and failed to properly clear the ball before it fell to Wrexhams Darren Ferguson on the edge of the penalty area. Sir Alexs son took one touch and gently struck the ball toward the goal through Walsalls static defence. The ball hardly burst the back of the net, but Joe Murphy didnt move a muscle. Murphy will insist he was unsighted. At least thats what he told his manager. Merson, though, seemed less than convinced. Fortunately for Murphy, Merson didnt have one of his better days, either and was guilty of missing the biggest sitter of my life. The Saddlers boss flitted in and out of the game, often being nothing more than a spectator hugging the left touchline and waiting for the ball to arrive at his feet. That is all very well if the end-product creates chances but the Walsall bosss passes were either over-hit or went straight to the opposition. But at 2-2 with only five minutes remaining, Merson had the chance to win the game. Mark Wright swung in a cross from the right and substitute Marvin Robinsons flick-on found his manager unmarked six yards from goal. With Wrexham goal-keeper Ben Foster rooted to his line, Merson could only balloon the ball over the bar. It was a shocking miss, Merson said. The lads tried to tell me that I was offside, but I know that I wasnt. I should have scored. A draw was probably a fair result. They had two bad goals, we had two bad goals but it was the same old story for us. The thoughts of Wrexham boss Denis Smith followed similar lines. Having seen his side go ahead, he then saw them hand Walsall an equal-iser. Jorge Leit<o collected the ball on the edge of the box and, holding off Wrexham defender Steve Roberts, he slipped the ball to midfielder Darren Wrack who was unmarked inside the box. Wrack had time to compose himself before firing the ball past Foster from 12 yards out. But Walsall are nothing if not generous hosts and they handed the lead back to the visitors two minutes later. The defence stood by as Chris Llewellyn swapped passes with Mark Jones, sauntered unmolested into the box and calmly slotted the ball past Murphy. The visitors, though, entered into the spirit of things and, minutes before the break, a cross from Wright was met by Leit<o, who outjumped Steve Roberts and the 6ft 7in Dennis Lawrence and levelled the scores with a firm header. Chances were few and far between in the second half as the defences raised their games. For Walsall, Zigor Aranalde make several fine tackles to halt Wrexham and Lawrence did likewise at the other enf Mark Jones and Juan Ugarte went close for the visitors and Wrack had chances to add to his tally, but neither side could kill the game off. Then came Mersons miss - a chance for the manager to make the fans forget the drubbing at Colchester. He didnt, some of them havent and the trip to Bristol City on Friday just became that little bit tougher. | 
