WREXHAM manager Brian Little has identified tomorrow’s match at Rushden & Diamonds as a test of character for his players following Thursday night’s narrow 1-0 defeat at York City.

City captain Mark Greaves, who played for Little when he was manager of Hull City, scored the only goal of the game at KitKat Crescent to maintain his side’s 100% start to the campaign and leave the Dragons mulling over their failure to successfully defend a corner.

It was only the second goal Wrexham have conceded in a total of seven games since they returned to pre-season training at the end of June and Little said: “It’s the first minor setback suffered by this group of players in seven or eight weeks and it’s their first defeat of any consequence.

“They were upset afterwards and we will now see what they are made of.”

But the Racecourse boss admitted he could not be too critical of his side’s performance at York, who he reckons will be among the teams challenging for honours at the end of the campaign.

“At the time they scored their goal I felt we were comfortable, which makes it all the more disappointing because we had got ourselves well into the game and forced their goalkeeper into some good saves,” he added.

“It wasn’t a great performance by us but it was not a poor performance either. York are a strong side, they aren’t going to be out-fought in any games this season and they are very strong from set-pieces as they proved last night.

“We went to sleep at the set-piece but otherwise it would have been 0-0 and that would have been a good result for us. I thought we were the equal of them for long spells in the game.”

Little revealed that an injury to defender Nat Brown just before the goal was scored had thwarted his plans to counter the threat posed by Greaves.

“At the time I was thinking about putting Steve Evans on and pushing Nat into midfield to face up to Greaves, but that never materialised. I know Mark of old and his strength in there was giving us a problem. I thought Nat might keep him quiet but we never got the chance.”

Brown, who picked up a groin strain is a doubtful starter at Nene Park tomorrow and, although midfielder Levi Mackin is available again following a one-match ban, the Dragons boss has not ruled out further changes.

“There’s a temptation to look at the system or the personnel because the lads have had two really hard games and another one to come,” he said.

“We might put some fresh legs on because we’ve got people like Neil Taylor, Wes Baynes and Levi Mackin to come back, so we have a few alternatives.

“We’ve got probably the hardest start of any side. It was great to win our first game but these two away games are really tough for anyone.

“Rushden have pushed the boat out this season in terms of trying to do well this term and it will be another hard game.

“If we can get a result there we’ll be just a point behind where we needed to be after three hard matches. We’ll have the odd setback away from home, but I hope we start better on Sunday than we did at York.”

Like York, Rushden have a 100% record after two matches and will be looking for a first-ever win against the Dragons to extend that run.

Striker Sam Smith, who came on as a substitute against Ebbsfleet on Tuesday to score one goal and make the winner, is almost certain to retain his place in the continued absence of Daryl Clare. The former Chester City front man broke his jaw in a pre-season friendly and will be out of action for at least a month.

But Michael Rankine has recovered from an ankle injury to return to the squad.

l FORMER Wrexham midfielder Mark Jones is set to join Rochdale following a successful trial with the League Two club.

But the 24-year-old Welsh international’s move is unlikely to go through in time for today’s home date with Barnet.