Wanderers seek soccer sweep in Saint John
Halifax club wraps up summer series with Wrexham U21s in Port City on Saturday
The Halifax Wanderers are looking to break out the brooms as they aim to sweep Wrexham A.F.C. in the third game of their series in Saint John on Saturday.
The two under-21 soccer squads have been touring the Maritimes this month playing games in Halifax and Charlottetown.
While the Wanderers are known to local soccer fans, being the only Canadian Premier League team east of Ottawa, Wrexham is arguably better known for at least two reasons.
The first is the team's Canadian owner, actor Ryan Reynolds. The second is the team's documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.
Luka Robichaud Allah, a Moncton native who plays for the Wanderers, said the hype around Wrexham's visit has had a major impact on the feel of the games.
"The game at the [Wanderers Grounds] was actually insane," said Allah.
"It was actually, like, so cool to see because it's my first time playing in a big crowd like that, and I feel like it just gave me so much motivation."
Home away from home
While the Wanderers are undoubtedly the hometown team, U21 coach Nick Chadwick said there's been strong support in the stands for the Welsh side as well.
"There's been so many, so many jerseys, so many people who want to wish us well and encourage the players, which is really important," Chadwick said.
"They're young players and some of them were only in high school a month or so ago. So for them to be out here and be supported, and plenty of Wrexham jerseys knocking around, that's been a really welcome sight for us."
In the time the team has spent in the Maritimes, Chadwick said, players have embraced the opportunity to play in a different region and have even been able to try some truly Canadian cuisine.
"We stopped at Tim Hortons, for example, and they had coffees and some doughnuts and bits like that," Chadwick said.
Game 3
But the trip to the Maritimes hasn't exactly been fruitful for Wrexham, at least not in terms of results.
Halifax beat Wrexham 2-0 in Halifax, and then 1-0 in Charlottetown.
Chadwick said it's not win-loss records that will determine if the trip is a success.
"I think our performance is what will determine whether we think it's been a successful trip or not," Chadwick said.
"The performance in the last game was a lot better."
Still Allah believes Wrexham has a good squad and isn't taking Saturday's game for granted.
"Just because we won two, it doesn't mean that we're going to lay off and just take it easy for the third one," Allah said.
"We're going to give it our all again out of respect for the other team and for us."
Kickoff for Saturday's game is at 1 p.m at the Canada Games Stadium on the University off New Brunswick in Saint John campus.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Roger Cosman