FRUSTRATION was the word that figured in the post-match comments of both opposing managers, Dean Saunders and Mick Wadsworth, following yesterday’s derby stalemate at the Racecourse.

For the Wrexham boss the word has rarely been far from his lips so far this season and its repetition reflected his disappointment that the Dragons had failed to build upon the quality of their previous performance against Luton Town.

“I wanted to win because I want to win every match,” he said. “When that doesn’t happen I’m frustrated and disappointed because I’m trying to build a team, but I’m learning more from every game.

But for Saunders’ Deva Stadium counterpart it was a badge of honour and a token of a job well done.

“We defended the box very well and we frustrated them so I’m very proud of this bunch of players and we have to recognise their commitment to the cause,” said Wadsworth.

“It was a good performance, a battle and we showed a determination not to be beaten. In many parts of the game I thought we were the better team and we created the better chances.

“It was rough and tumble against a physical side but we stood up to it and on the fitness side we came out quite well too.”

The City boss, to be fair, probably had more right to feel frustrated than Saunders after watching his side create the two best chances of the afternoon, both of which fell to Gregg Blundell.

And, although the veteran striker was thwarted by the reactions of Chris Maxwell for his first effort, he had only himself to blame for missing the second which had it gone in would have brought him instant folk hero status across the border.

There was nothing so clear-cut for Wrexham to agonise over, despite their overwhelming advantage in most other facets of the contest, save for fouls conceded and cautions received – statistics that lent the lie to Wadsworth’s ‘physical side’ jibe.

But such banter is the stuff on which traditional rivalries thrive and while this was some way short of being the most thrilling and attractive of derby encounters, it was also nowhere near being the worst.

The pity is that the resumption of cross- border hostilities after a break of 12 months will go down in the record books as the first ever played outside the Football League.

For Wrexham fans, that’s one too many and few of them would shed a tear about it being the last as long as it’s the Dragons who make the step back up to their traditional home.

Saunders stuck with the line-up that started for the 3-0 midweek beating of Luton, which would have been unsurprising were it not also been the first occasion this season he had named an unchanged team in successive matches.

The visitors, however, who drew 1-1 at Salisbury City last Tuesday, gave a debut to on-loan Rochdale midfielder Clark Keltie and brought Michael Lea into the defence, Shaun Kelly and Glenn Rule having to settle for a place on the bench.

And City went close to making a sensational start to the game inside the first minute when home goalkeeper Chris Maxwell dropped a high ball under pressure from Nick Chadwick, who netted but saw his effort ruled out for an illegal challenge.

The incident pumped up the already charged atmosphere as Wrexham quickly settled into what is becoming a familiar pattern. Neat, intelligent passing ensured them plenty of possession and forced their opponents to defend in numbers.

But City keeper John Danby was given a relatively easy ride and the Dragons were fortunate not to go behind in the ninth minute when Ben Wilkinson’s cross was met by Gregg Blundell’s head.

The ball was heading into the far corner until Maxwell somehow finger-tipped it behind, but it was a salutary warning of the visitors’ ability to break quickly and positively.

The home side were altogether less threatening, Marc Williams firing tamely at Danby before the visitors lost defender Chris Lynch to a foot injury following a clash with Gareth Taylor, his place being taken by Kelly.

There was a testing moment for Danby in the 25th minute when he dived bravely at the feet of Marc Williams to hold a low centre from Gareth Taylor.

But Wrexham rode their luck again five minutes later when Blundell missed an open goal, mis-kicking from five yards after a similar mishap befell Mansour Assoumani to create the chance.

City, though, were growing in confidence and showed signs of beginning to dictate proceedings as the half drew to a close with another scare prompted by Danby’s heavy fall and subsequent treatment.

But the keeper was the first player to emerge for the second period with neither manager opting for any immediate replacements from the bench.

There was little change either in the quality of the football, both sets of players taking a safety-first approach and refusing to risk too much on the ball, much to the increasing frustration of the home fans in a season’s best crowd of just under 6,000.

With most of what action there was concentrated in City’s half of the field, Wrexham’s corner count was mounting but the visitors’ defence proved equal to everything, Tim Ryan finding himself in the right place to block Gareth Taylor’s goalbound effort in the 69th minute.

Andy Fleming and Christian Smith also saw shots blocked, but Wrexham squandered even more opportunities to pen back their opponents due to poor delivery and growing anxiety.

In a bid to win the game Saunders made his first change with 10 minutes remaining, striker Lamine Sakho replacing midfielder Jones.

As the final whistle grew ever closer, Wes Baynes was also stripped off and ready to enter the fray, but as the visitors sensed the chance of a final sting in the tail and forced their first corner of the half in added time, Saunders erred on the side of caution and sent the proposed substitute back into the dugout.

To almost universal relief, the City corner was cleared and Wrexham carved out one last opening, Mansour Assoumani getting on the end of Frank Sinclair’s ball into the area, but volleying the ball well wide of Danby’s goal.

Dragons’ goalkeeper Maxwell, who had kept his side on level terms with his save from Blundell in the first half, said: “I’m pleased with the save but to be honest I would have been disappointed not to have stopped it, no matter how good the header was.“

And of the afternoon as a whole, he added: “It was frustrating but derbies are always going to be cagy affairs.

“Our back four are happy with another clean sheet because it means we have done our job properly.”