Sidebar

28
Thu, Mar
26 New Articles

Typography
WREXHAM centre-back Dennis Lawrence has challenged his team-mates to raise their game or see their flagging promotion hopes disappear.


Though manager Denis Smith blamed defensive lapses in the wake of last weekend's 2-2 draw with struggling Barnet, Lawrence said the entire team must improve to challenge for a League One spot.

Smith was left fuming because Barnet scored their first after an attempted defensive clearance was charged down and their second when goalkeeper Michael Ingham kicked the ball straight to striker Tresor Kandol.

But Lawrence said, "We know as a team we've got to do better at both ends of the pitch. We're a team and if Ingham makes a mistake the team makes a mistake.

"We need to improve all over the park."

And the 6ft 7ins Trinidadian said his team-mates should have gone on to triumph over Barnet as they equalised with 40 minutes still to play.

Now Lawrence (pictured left) says the Dragons must forget last week's mistakes and focus on securing all three points in today's League Two game with Bury at the Racecourse.

"Players are always liable to make mistakes and we should have gone on to win the game anyway.

"We've got to forget about what happened and focus on tomorrow's game."

It's not the first time the Dragons have conceded points to a team struggling at the wrong end of the table in recent weeks.

Last month Smith's team was two up at Mansfield, but ended up drawing after conceding two goals in three minutes.

And the 31-year-old said with the Dragons' season now almost in its final quarter his team-mates realise their room for error diminishes with every game.

"We know the importance of the Bury game. We're coming to the stage of the season where we have to start picking up points because the games are running out.

"Draws are no good to us now - we must start winning games."

The Dragons have not won in their last three and have now slipped to eight points behind Cheltenham Town, who occupy the bottom play-off position.

But Smith's team has two games in hand and Lawrence insists the gap can still be bridged.

"We have got games in hand and, if we pick up a couple more wins, there is no reason why we can't pull it off."

Boss Smith echoed Lawrence's sentiments, saying there are still more points available in the 15 games the Dragons have left than the 46 the have already chalked up.

"We need to start winning and now is the time to go on a run, but there is still a quarter of the season left and there are more points to win than we have got at the moment. There are a hell of a lot of points to play for."

But the Wrexham coach warned his players they cannot expect an easy ride from a Bury team only three points above the relegation zone and clinging to their Football League status.

"They're fighting for their lives and the reports I've had on their performances in their last three games say they've played well."

Dragons' captain Darren Ferguson is set to miss out (hip), while Bury defender Tom Kennedy returns from a hip injury for the visitors.