ONWARDS and upwards is the mantra for Wrexham boss Denis Smith following his side's second successive league victory and a third this season against big-spending Wigan Athletic.
The 2-0 success at the Racecourse on Saturday extended the Dragons' recent unbeaten run to four matches, but Smith, a hard taskmaster, insisted it could have been better had points not been thrown away against Swindon Town and Bury.
"It was a hard game but it was a big one for us," he said. "I thought it was going to be difficult and it was. We had a bit of luck at the right time when they hit the post, so perhaps we've got a lucky goalkeeper in Marius (Rovde).
"We scored from two set-plays, which was pleasing, but it was hard. That could have been our fourth win in a row, and possibly should have been, but we kept a clean sheet today.
"I thought we deserved the win, but it was a tight one. They didn't really create a lot, apart from hitting the post, and Marius had to make a save in the first half, and we defended well from the front, with everybody working hard.
"Unfortunately, the two wide lads did not defend as well as I would have liked so I had to change that but in the end we got the result we wanted."
The Dragons' boss said he believed his players were beginning to reap the benefits of their work during the week, but admitted there was still a lot to prove.
"It's disappointing to think we could have been a few points better off but that's looking backwards," he said. "We've got to look forward and we have what people would consider a very hard February.
"Peterborough was a hard game, this one was and the next three are also hard, But if we carry on playing the way we are, we can fancy ourselves to give anybody a game. Today, I think we beat a very good side so we have to be pleased with ourselves."
Smith said the windy conditions had done his side few favours, especially in the opening 45 minutes which Wigan dominated. "It was difficult in the first half with the wind and we found it hard to get out," he added. "When we got it down and passed it around in the second half, we gave them problems. But we broke well, Wayne Phillips in particular, and that's what we had planned."
But he said he was pleased at the manner in which his side defended their advantage and eventually blunted their opponents' efforts to get back into the contest. "We discussed things and said 'when you are winning, keep the ball' and that was a lot better today. I brought Carlos on, who is a better defender than Hector, and can also break quickly. The ball was coming back at us too quickly and the one thing Trundle can do is to hold it up, to take the pressure off us and that's what he did.
"This system seems to suit the midfield I've got, especially if Wayne is in there because he's got the legs and likes running up and down. Thomas is developing and Darren's had perhaps the best couple of games since I've been at the club."
And he ended on a cautionary note. "We're going well but that's this week. Next week will be a different game and I don't look back. We've won, we can enjoy it but on Monday we start thinking about Saturday."
