DENNIS LAWRENCE believes Trinidad & Tobago's momentous win over Bahrain could change his life forever.
The giant defender netted the all-important goal that took the Soca Warriors to the World Cup in Germany and in the process became the first serving Dragons player to make it to football's premier competition.
Needing to score after drawing 1-1 in the first leg, Lawrence nodded in a 49th-minute winner to send the twin island nation delirious.
"This was our last chance to do something that could change our entire lives," Lawrence said.
"I couldn't believe that I got the goal.
"But I wasn't really bothered who scored. I just wanted to do it for the team and to get a big cheer. I'm just so happy."
He added: "We're a small nation of around 1.5m people, and the win was for everyone. I've been getting phone calls from home and you can just hear the excitement in the background."
The win meant Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday announced a public holiday - with the players jetting back from Bah-rain to be received at a civic reception.
And although this means the Wrexham defender will miss the visit of Peterborough tomorrow, Wrexham boss Denis Smith was sympathetic with Trinidad's wishes.
He revealed Lawrence would not have figured against Mark Wright's Posh even if the player had been allowed to fly straight back to Britain from the Middle East.
Smith said: "The squad have flown back to Trinidad. Dennis phoned me to see if it was okay. Of course it was. He has to go back. He is a national hero after scoring the goal that takes his country to the World Cup finals.
"He will fly back to Britain on Friday, but he won't be ready to play. He wouldn't have been ready even if they had flown straight back. It was always going to be difficult for him to come back. It is physically hard. The body can't take it."
Smith is weighing up his options for central defence. Wrexham won at Oxford United last weekend without the Trinidad star and the Dragons could be boosted by the return of Paul Warhust, who will undergo a fitness test today.
Smith added: "There are options. The young lad Mike Williams can play there, Simon Spender has played in that position for Wales under-21s and we may have Paul Warhurst fit."
Alex Smith also comes back into contention after recovering from illness.
