WREXHAM midfielder Andrew Fleming, who faces up to a month on the sidelines after sustaining a cartilage injury during the week, is set to be offered an extension to his Racecourse contract by recently-installed manager Dean Saunders.

The 21-year-old graduate from the Dragons’ school of excellence has already made a favourable impression on the new boss, who said yesterday that Fleming’s injury was both unfortunate and untimely.

“It’s a bit of a blow for the lad, but I’ll be sitting down with him for a chat very soon about his future and a new contract with us. I want him to stay here with me and I hope we will be able to sort something out quickly.”

Although Fleming definitely misses this afternoon’s match against Mansfield there was no further clue from the Racecourse boss about the line-up at Field Mill, where Wrexham will be looking for a third straight league win, a feat last achieved in April 2007 when Brian Carey’s team beat Lincoln City, Torquay United and Shrewsbury Town.

New short-term signing Ashley Westwood is added to the squad and Saunders will make a late decision on Silvio Spann’s fitness following his transatlantic return from World Cup duty with Trinidad & Tobago.

Saunders added: “I can only pick 11 players to start the game and everyone here knows it will be difficult to break into a winning team, so there are still a few players who have had to wait for their chance.

“But whoever plays, the demands on them are the same as they have been from day one. They will be going out to win the game because I’m not interested in draws or defeats.

“Regardless of whether we are at home or away it will be 11 players versus 11 players and the only thing I can think about is a third win on the bounce. I have got my sights set on (league leaders) Crawley Town.

“We might well have to take a step or two back along the way but if that’s the case we’ll come back stronger as long as we produce the fighting spirit we did to win at Forest Green Rovers.”

It’s 11 days since Wrexham’s last match – a 3-1 win over York City – but Saunders said the time had not been wasted by assistant boss Terry Darracott.

“It has given us the chance to work on the players’ fitness levels,” he added. “They have to be fit to play the way I want them to otherwise they will fall by the wayside.

“It’s not complicated because it’s about good players working hard and it’s my job to improve the ordinary ones, make sure they are organised and get them working hard for 90 minutes.”

New recruit Westwood, who has been without a club since a loan spell at Stevenage Borough towards the end of last season, admitted he was both pleased and relieved to be reunited with former Bradford City team-mate Saunders.

The 32-year-old central defender said potential moves to Stevenage, Luton Town, Bournemouth, Walsall and a Belgian Division club had all fallen through due to a combination of managerial sackings, administration and limited club budgets.

“It’s been frustrating because wherever I’ve been training no-one has ever said I was not good enough,” said Westwood. “But a combination of politics, financial problems and reduced budgets has prevented me from getting fixed up.

“You have to motivate yourself to train on your own and every knockback just made me more determined, so I’m delighted to have come to Wrexham. It’s a very impressive set-up, the facilities are top drawer and there has been a massive injection of energy with the new staff coming in.

“Dean is one of those people it’s just great to be around and no-one in the game has a bad word to say about him. He is a great capture for Wrexham and I’m delighted to be part of a team that is ambitious and pushing to win promotion.”