Video highlights of Ben Foster’s debut back at Wrexham emerges as he keeps a clean sheet in his new side’s 3-0 win over York City.
Wrexham scored their opening goal late in the first period after James Jones’ shot hit a bar and came back off keeper Ryan Whitley.
Sam Dalby was on hand to net from Ben Tozer’s long throw, putting the hosts 2-0 up, before Elliot Lee’s late third registered Wrexham 100th league goal of the campaign.
Wrexham are still three points clear at top of the table with the win, Notts County also grabbed a victory, putting four past Scunthorpe, although Phil Parkinson’s men have a game in hand.
39 year old Ben Foster made second-half saves from Ryan Fallowfield and Mitch Hancox in his first appearance since coming out of retirement to sign for his former club, who he played for on loan in 2005.
Wrexham’s Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were among the 10,161 in attendance at The Racecourse, the Welsh side’s highest gate of the season.
BEN FOSTER INTERVIEW:
BF: Um that was brilliant really enjoyed that with would have been a lot more helpful if they could have scored the second and third gold a lot earlier and a lot sooner um but it was just coming it was just you know we it was once we scored a goal we knew we’d go on to win the game because we were just you know we were knocking and we would knock in and we were getting chances um it just wasn’t quite falling for us but once you get the first goal we we made a point at half time just saying keep going yeah keep going Do not sit back you just got to keep going because you know what no anything can happen um and fair play to their lives I know I know it came in I think the the second goal was in the 80th minute um but no thoroughly deserved and it was a good win again
Interviewer: Your second Wrexham debut just as you were stepping out onto the Racecourse pitching that through the tunnel what was that feeling like>
BF: Yeah that was nice it was um I won’t lie I was still a little bit nervous you know I’m I’m 40 next week and I’ve played what nearly five over 500 games or whatever but it’s still a little bit nervy because you want to do well I want to do well and we’re in a position where we need to just keep winning um and so yeah it’s always tinged with a little bit of what if what if but um no The Lads in front of me were fantastic again today um it was probably made a bit easier the fact that I straight away had a few crosses to take which sort of settled you in nicely but the crowd was fantastic over ten thousand of them there today it was yeah well done great one
Interviewer:And another clean sheep not a bad way to start really is it
BF: No doddle mate three nil clean sheet, bosh, just met Ryan Reynolds in the tunnel don’t get much better like days don’t get much better than that um going out for a lovely dinner tonight yeah lovely Saturday though I think it’s fair to say the week’s been a bit of a whirlwind for you just how’s the few days training been before the game within the game itself yeah so trained on Thursday um to be fair like I I signed on Thursday and the manager was still he was like listen you know you you haven’t trained properly in best part of nine months if you if you don’t want to play this weekend he said don’t worry about it you know you can train train just get your body right because you’re going to be achy um but In fairness I’ll train Thursday I didn’t I didn’t feel particularly sharp or anything like that and my body my body wasn’t actually too bad you know I wasn’t too achy I was diving around I felt okay and then came in Friday proper training session felt really sharp felt good to go and then today wanted to once the game kicks off the adrenaline kicks in you you realise you can do it again and that’s it you’re back to normal
Interviewer: Is it almost like you’ve mentioned your competitive edge in previous interviews this week is it almost like when you’ve got back and you’re there like right I am in this and I’m going to want to be in that number one show
BF: Yeah it’s a autopilot like I said when you when you played over 500 games in your career a year once you once that game kicks off at three o’clock it is it’s that adrenaline boost and it just that’s when it all comes naturally to you just autopilot and I’ve always found that’s the best place for me to be you know I’ve always found training okay and it’s it’s a good time to sort of hone your skills but it’s it’s when that adrenaline kicks in that you feel you can do stuff you can’t normally do on a training pitch
Interviewer: And how’s it been being around the rest of the lads, enjoying the group this week d
BF: Brilliant absolutely brilliant what a bunch of lads they um I’ve obviously you know I’ve seen a few of the Wrexham games this season but you don’t get to know the characters and what they’re like as people as human beings but the first two days they’ve welcomed me and so so easily and it’s been like I’ve just settled in great honestly really really easy but I get to see it on the pitch today how hard they work as well and they do it properly and they’re so honest and I think you’ve got there were 11 people on the pitch there, they’re just honest every single one of them like they just run off and it’s not a big thing they don’t go crazy celebrating they just just like yeah come on get the ball back and we’ll go again um it’s great to be part of a team like that because when you’ve got 11 players on the pitch that all want to do it like that you’ve always got a chance
Interviewer: You mentioned the crowd earlier record attendance in the League this season and another big crowd tomorrow for the women’s game over three thousand tickets fantastic
BF: It is fantastic yeah that’s this is non-league you know this is it’s absolutely bonkers like I said there I was talking to the the manager the the ladies team yesterday and they were buzzing for the game tomorrow is proper nervous as well but it’s a big game for them um even their league it’s a tough league you know if they win they still have to play the the winners of I think the Southern League and only one team can then go up um which is bonkers it’s very similar to our league isn’t it you know we’re only the only one of the team goes up um but now it’s it’s good to see that you get 10,000 fans at a home game in non-league it’s just that’s ridiculous
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson:
“The pitch was slow because of the weather and the fluency at times wasn’t quite there. I still felt we created enough in the opening exchanges to get the goal.
“I sensed something would come. It’s a fantastic strike from James Jones to get us off and running and it was a good solid performance against a well-organised team.
“We kept our cool and handled the situation well and have come away convincing winners.
“It was always a big call whether to play Ben Foster because he hasn’t played for so long. He was 100% adamant he was ready.
“What a great day for us – that’s the big thing, that he’s come through the game in terrific fashion. He was excellent.”
Fans reacted as video highlights of Ben Foster’s debut back at Wrexham emerges as he keeps a clean sheet in the win…
@SteD1981: Loving it isn’t he? First game in clean sheet nice and steady he’s only going to get sharper as the next few games come along, great signing ✍️
@DuanePWilliams: He was a different class in goal today!
@GarryBoyle44: Great content for his go pro and podcast
@PE1864: Can’t get enough of this 🔴⚪️ It’s absolutely crazy what’s going on at our amazing club! @BenFoster #WrexhamAFC #WrexhamFX
@yetigoosecreat: Oh come on. How can you not love this guy? He was pretty much impeccable today. One mistake which he was laughing at before it even resolved itself. The confidence he gave the team was visible from minute 1. I’d bloody love another season from him 🤞
@Jayfuz: “Absolutely ledge btw what a guy”
@ms_th19: Offer him whatever he wants for next season.
@PhilGetsinger: Nobody enjoys life more than Ben Foster. Helluva guy! 🙂 Cheers from Texas.
@barryjehu: What a fantastic interview. Excellent keeper, but more importantly he seems like a great bloke. Up the town @BenFoster 🧤🏴
@DeborahSkroch: Can’t help but smile after watching that. His enthusiasm is infectious. And that smile is so genuine. “And I’ve just met Ryan Reynolds in the tunnel. Days don’t get much better.” 😆
@davebithell: Considering he hadn’t played for a while – top notch – class holding, distribution – was first class- experience
@keevs_89: He goes another season, most definitely.
@99jgw: @BenFoster Great interview. Well played today 👏👏👏
@Wxmsheep: Give him a 5 year contract
@CBezzaman: That smile of his is infectious 😊
@Broken__Monkey: That’s a superb interview.
@TheMadDoctorX: Great interview. Love his positive energy. Fantastic addition. I hope we can keep him past this season. I could see him on coaching staff too
Can’t tell if this is a Ben foster joke or he actually said that
— Garnacho.Szn 🇦🇷🇮🇪🇾🇪🔰 (@DialloJr_) March 25, 2023
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