MALAWI'S Bakili Bullets came out of Africa to give newly-promoted Wrexham a really testing friendly at the Racecourse last night, in an encounter which provided plenty of good, flowing football and more than a few goalmouth incidents.
The visitors had goalkeeper Navigator Dzimkambani to thank for their draw, after he made several excellent saves in a first half dominated by the Dragons.
But the Bullets did enough to suggest they could give Third Division Boston United an equally tough contest when they continue their British tour at the weekend.
The Bullets, currently domestic league champions in Malawi, are owned by the country's president Bakili Muluzi and boast five current internationals in their squad.
But if they arrived at the Racecourse as very much an unknown quantity, it soon became evident that Wrexham had a game on their hands as both Hector Sam and Chris Llewellyn felt the weight of some uncompromising challenges.
Where the Bullets were somewhat naive was at set-plays and Brian Carey almost punished some non-existent marking in the third minute when he met a Darren Ferguson free-kick, but saw his header well-saved by Dzimkambani.
And the visitors were forced to do more defending when Dennis Lawrence saw his effort blocked and Carlos Edwards forced another good save from the keeper, but when a mistake by Craig Morgan gave the Bullets a chance to attack, Grant Lungu tested Andy Dibble.
The African side were no shrinking violets and some of their challenges, especially the ankle-taps from behind, were frustrating not only the crowd but also Dragons boss Denis Smith, who remonstrated angrily with a linesman after one such incident brought Llewellyn to his knees.
The Wrexham new boy, who scored at Witton Albion 48 hours earlier, was foiled by Dzimkambani at the start of the second half as the visitors again failed to pick up men when defending a Ferguson free kick and the visitors' otherwise stubborn resistance was finally broken in the 50th minute when substitute Steve Thomas hit a superb shot from 25 yards into the top corner of the net.
For all their endeavour, the Bullets rarely put the home defence under any pressure and it was another slip on the greasy surface from the otherwise excellent Morgan which gave Stanley Meya a sight of the target, but Paul Whtifield, another half-time replacement, went down to quickly to make a fine save.
The Wales under-21 player was given no chance, though, with a Bullets' equaliser that came against the run of play in the 69th minute.
Robert Ngambi's hopeful effort from the edge of the penalty area took a wicked deflection off Morgan and completely wrong-footed the keeper to level matters.
Lee Jones twice went close to snatching a winner for the home side in the final few minutes but the Bullets managed to get a block in and they received a generous round of applause from the Racecourse crowd at the final whistle.
WREXHAM: Dibble (Whitfield, 46), Carey (L Jones, 46), Lawrence (McNulty, 80), Morgan; C Edwards, Crowell (Thomas, 46), Ferguson (Barrett, 70), Whitley, Holmes (P Edwards, 46), Llewellyn (M Jones, 60), Sam.
BAKILI BULLETS: Dzimkambani, K Lungu, Sielo, Masambero, Mwalweni, Ngambi, Chilaponda, Knodowe, Ishmael, G Lungu (Meya, 46), Malunga. Subs: Mwase, Sanudi, Mhura, Mpute, Nundwe.
Referee: Rob Duncan
Att: 1,500
