WREXHAM manager Brian Carey faces a midfield dilemma ahead of this afternoon’s home match with Rotherham United after losing both Danny Williams and Connal Murtagh to injury.
The experienced Williams, an ever-present thus far this season, hurt his back during training on Thursday while summer recruit from Welsh Premier side Rhyl Murtagh, who played in the Carling Cup clash with Aston Villa, has a thigh strain.
The untimely loss of 28-year-old Williams means the Dragons boss is set to call on youngster Levi Mackin, who will anchor the heart of his team alongside either Mark Jones or Matty Crowell.
Trinidad international Silvio Spann is also named in the squad, but Carey said it was extremely unlikely he would make his Wrexham debut from the off and there are bound to be some concerns over both Jones and Crowell.
Jones, sent home early from international duty with Wales, was on anti-biotics and has been involved in only two training sessions at the end of the week while Crowell is still short of match practice, having missed much of pre-season training with a persistent keen injury.
Carey has kept faith with the strikers, who have managed just three goals from their four matches, and there is no place for Spaniard Juan Ugarte in the 17-man squad.
“He played against Burnley on Monday and had an hour in the game with Northern Ireland’s under-19s,” said the Racecourse boss.
“But he’s not quite there yet and we’ll try an arrange another outing for him next week.”
Last week’s postponement means Wrexham face their Yorkshire visitors as the league’s bottom club after winning just one of the four opening matches and Carey is looking for all three points.
“The league position puts pressure we don’t need on everyone here, which is similar to the situation during the final two months of last season,” he said.
“The league table does not make very pleasant reading at the moment and I certainly don’t like looking at it, but I know that will change.
“Having been in a similar situation last season, I’m used to it to some extent and I know what’s needed to get us away from the bottom.
“Being near the top of the table would be something new and an admittedly more welcome challenge, but during the last fortnight I’ve seen a quiet determination among the players to make up for that home defeat by Hereford.
“I hope I’m right about that and I’m sure the whole team will be up for the task tomorrow.
“And there will be no shortage of determination, effort and enthusiasm from the starting 11 because there will be another few players on the bench all busting a gut to get on.
“So there is also pressure on all the players to perform and I want them to show that they care about this club and the supporters.”
Carey took advantage of last week’s break to watch Rotherham lose at home to Darlington and he also saw their previous game against Mansfield Town.
“They are a good, experienced team,” he added.
“It will be a tough game tomorrow without a doubt because they have experience in a lot of areas on the pitch. But I’ve seen nothing that we need to fear and I don’t want to dwell on them too much.
“I just want to focus on ourselves and make sure we get our own approach and attitude right on the day.
“We have got to start winning as soon as possible and the manner of the performance is no longer a consideration as such because the most important thing is to get a few results.
“It’s a big week because we are at home to Macclesfield on Tuesday in the JP Trophy and then we go to Stockport County next Saturday.
“A win tomorrow would be a tonic and if we keep doing the right things the results will come and, as we all know, winning can become a habit.”
Meanwhile Dragons central defender Gareth Evans yesterday joined Blue Square Premier side Northwich Victoria on a month’s loan.
Rotherham, who have taken six points from their opening five matches, have included new loan signing, Doncaster striker Bruce Dyer, in their 17-man squad.
