Opinion

Ben Foster had a day to forget in Wrexham’s stunning draw with Swindon

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Wrexham had one of their most memorable games in history as they came back to draw 5-5 at home to Swindon Town, but goalkeeper Ben Foster will want to quickly forget it.

Elliot Lee’s stoppage-time equaliser sent The Racecourse Ground into raptures, as Phil Parkinson’s side claimed an unlikely point after finding themselves 4-1 down at half-time.

There were positives and negatives to take from the performance, which means Wrexham have won just one of their opening four games in League Two, but a big concern is Foster in goal.

The 40-year-old was arguably at fault for a number of the five goals he conceded, and he looked far from his best.

Perhaps age might be catching up to Foster, who came out of retirement to join Wrexham last year, and questions are now being asked of his position as the number one option.

Fatal errors

Swindon, remarkably, had just six shots on target in the game, but five found their way past Foster. For the first and third goals in particular, his positioning was incorrect, and his footwork was suspect all game.

His reaction times also seem to have slowed down, and given his vast experience in the Premier League, his performance levels right now may actually be of detriment to the team, despite his popularity at the club.

Wrexham v Walsall FC - Sky Bet League Two
Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images

With Luke McNicholas joining earlier this window, and Mark Howard an alternative option, Parkinson may be tempted to rotate Foster out of the starting lineup, or at least give him less game time to allow him to cope with the demands of League Two football.

He has so far delivered a number of memorable moments in a Wrexham shirt, including a crucial penalty save last season, but the early signs this season are worrying when it comes to the veteran goalkeeper.