KYLE CRITCHELL admits he and his Wrexham team-mates must be “switched on from the first whistle” if they are to record their first away win of the season at high-flying Salisbury City this weekend.

The summer signing says the Dragons players are still kicking themselves after failing to secure three points at Altrincham on Monday.

Wrexham conceded a fifth-minute goal before clawing their way back into the game with a Jefferson Louis strike.

Brian Little’s side have failed to impress on the road so far in the Blue Square Premier, having earlier been held 1-1 at Rushden & Diamonds and losing 1-0 at York.

It is Salisbury’s 100% away form that has seen them climb to the top of the table – at home they have won one and lost one – and Critchell is fully aware what will be needed if the Dragons are to return from Wiltshire with all three points.

“It will be a hard game at Salisbury,” he said. “They have had a good start to the season and are a strong side. It will be tough for us physically.

“Normally sides want to beat us because we are a big club, but now it’s us trying to shoot down the top team. We want to prove to the fans we are good enough for Wrexham.

“The first 15 minutes of any away game is vital. You have to get stuck in and win your battles in order to earn the right to play good football. At Altrincham we let ourselves and the travelling fans down. We could have played 10 times better. For the first 15 minutes we were not ready and they scored.

“It’s not the gaffer or the fans’ fault, it’s down to the starting 11 not being prepared from the off. If we had not conceded that early goal, we would have gone on to beat Altrincham. If there is any positive to take from that game it is that even though we played badly, we still should have won.”

Critchell believes the Dragons are still learning to adjust to playing away from the Racecourse, where they have so far won two games out of two.

“It’s a case of going away and playing differently,” he said. “At home we have a big pitch and we like to play an expansive game, passing the ball around. Away from home it’s a battle. It’s about being switched on from the first minute, unlike at Altrincham where we didn’t get going for 15 minutes. We just have to keep working hard and battle away from home.”

Despite their away form, Wrexham are just four points off the top of the table, with Critchell optimistic the club can win promotion back to the Football League.

“The teams I thought would do well are near the bottom of the table at the moment, while we are not far off the leaders,” he said.

“We have to look at being in the top six. All we want to achieve promotion, either by winning the league or through the play-offs. we have not seen anything yet in this league that says we can’t do that.

Critchell, signed from Weymouth after impressing for Wales in a semi-professional four nations tournament, missed the first three games of the season because of suspension. However, he has since started the last two matches and is relishing his chance to impress.

“From a personal point of view I have enjoyed myself,” the 21-year-old said. “I’ve played right midfield, a position I have played in before but no that often.

“In my career I have played in a lot of different positions and as long as I’m doing a good job and playing well, which I think I am, then I’m happy. Since I moved up here I have been made to feel so welcome by the club and the fans.”

One of the reasons he moved to Wrexham, said Critchell, was to reignite his fledging Wales career.

He earned three Under-21 caps before slipping into the semi-pro side. However, a call-up to Brian Flynn’s squad for the recent Uefa Championship qualifier with Romania suggests his international career is about to take an upward turn.

“It’s brilliant to be involved again, it’s been a long time coming,” Critchell added. “I last played about 18 months ago against Israel in Holland, when I played central midfield.

“I’ve spoken to the manager and he said he had always thought I was a good enough player, but I went off the radar when I went down to Weymouth. I hoped playing for a Welsh-based club would help my prospects, but my priority is to play well for Wrexham and help them achieve promotion. If international football follows, it’s a bonus.”