WREXHAM face a fixture nightmare in the final weeks of their relegation battle after manager Denis Smith reluctantly decided yesterday to seek a postponement of the club's Easter weekend programme.

A late international call-up for Trinidad international Hector Sam ensured he would be the fourth Dragons' player absent over the holiday period, as he joins compatriot Carlos Edwards and Wales under-21 duo Mark Jones and Craig Morgan for double international dates at the end of the month.

Trinidad have World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala on March 26 and Costa Rica four days later while Brian Flynn's Welsh squad take on Austria home and away.

With captain Darren Ferguson suspended for two matches and six players under treatment for long-term injuries, Smith would be left just 10 senior professionals for the Easter matches against Brentford on Good Friday and Port Vale the following Tuesday.

Wrexham must also re-arrange their trip to Barnsley as a result of reaching the LDV Vans Trophy final and the Dragons' boss admitted he was resigned to a hectic run-in.

"We've got to fit the games in where we can although one vacant date - next Tuesday - has already been ruled out because Brentford have already rearranged a game for that date," he said..

"There's no way we can play the games over Easter because of the internationals. I've never known international matches to be played at Easter but someone, somewhere in their wisdom has made the decision and we've got to put up with it. It's affected us badly but there's nothing else we can do."

With the semi-final of the FAW Premier Cup at Bangor City pencilled in for April 13, Wrexham are left with four midweek gaps before the final Saturday of the season in which to arrange mutually acceptable dates.

It's the latest in a long line of headaches for the Racecourse boss but he said a two-week break following Saturday's match at Swindon Town might provide time for injured players to recover.

Central defender Dennis Lawrence, with a foot injury, is the latest casualty, joining Jones, Brian Carey, Jim Whitley, Alex Smith, Dean Bennett, Danny Williams and Chris Armstrong in the treatment room.

Scrolling down his medical bulletin, Smith said: "Hopefully Dennis will be okay for the weekend and Mark Jones also has an outside chance of making the game, but I wouldn't bet on it. Of the others, Jim, Brian and Danny have no chance and Dean is extremely doubtful.

Alex and Chris are doing some work now and have an outside chance but you have to remember that neither of them has played very much at all in the past few weeks.

"But after Saturday we've got a couple of weeks to get a few more fit and that may be a blessing in disguise."

The Easter postponements mean Ferguson, whose caution last Saturday was his 10th of the season, will sit out Saturday's game and the home game against Bournemouth on April 2 but will be available for Wrexham's Millennium Stadium appearance against Southend United.

Goalkeeper Andy Dibble is the only senior professional on duty for the club's reserve side at Rochdale this afternoon where coach Joey Jones has only 13 play-ers. Goalkeeping understudy Ryan Harrison will be on the bench and is prepared to double up as a striker if required. Club secretary Geraint Parry said: "Ryan once scored two goals for Swansea City in a youth team game, so we're taking an extra outfield shirt for him."

* DENIS SMITH'S call for the whole of Wales to support Wrexham at the LDV Vans Trophy final has prompted ticket applications from Cardiff and Swansea fans as well as from across the border.

"We've had South Walians on the phone asking about tickets," said a Wrexham spokesman. "Telford United are running a bus to Cardiff to support us and we've had numerous applications from players and fans of junior clubs."