VETERANS Brian Carey and Andy Dibble will definitely miss next month's LDV Vans Trophy final.

The experienced pair, who have been blighted by injuries all season, had hoped to make an impact in the club's hectic end-of-season run-in - which includes the much-anticipated showpiece at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday, April 10.

But both are now resigned to sitting out the rest of the campaign after suffering new setbacks on their road to fitness.

Racecourse club captain Carey is to undergo fresh keyhole surgery in a bid to cure a long-standing knee injury that has kept him out of action since October.

Although he is disappointed at missing out on Wrexham's first appearance in a major final, he believes surgery is the only answer if he wants to prolong his career.

The 36-year-old said: 'I saw the consultant again and he has recommended new keyhole surgery but he was very optimistic that when it's been done I should be able to carry on playing.

'It's very unlikely that I'll be playing again before the end of the present season but the consultant was very positive about the longer term, which is what I wanted to hear.

'Missing the LDV Vans final is just one of those things but, to be honest, I would not have expected to play anyway. The lads have done well and they reached the final without me, so it would be unfair if any of them had to make way.

'The most important thing for me is that I want to be able to continue playing and I want to do that for as long as possible.

'I didn't want this injury to make the decision for me and I'm not rushing into anything, so it's a case of waiting to see how things go.'

Meanwhile, keeper Dibble is facing another spell on the sidelines after suffering a recurrence of a thigh injury in last week's 5-1 reserve-team defeat to Chester at Plaskynaston Lane.

Manager Denis Smith moved immediately to remedy the situation, by signing up Ben Foster for a third month on loan from Stoke City.

With youth keeper Michael Jones (broken wrist) also on the treatment table, the Wrexham boss extended the loan period of rookie Ryan Harrison, as back-up for Foster.