DENIS Smith believes the men at the sharp end of Wrexham's promotion push are clicking into gear at just the right time.

Signed by Smith last summer as direct replacements for the departing Andy Morrell and Lee Trundle, strikers Chris Armstrong and Chris Llewellyn initially failed to hit it off as they struggled with injury and loss of form.

However, the Dragons boss saw enough evidence in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Swindon to suggest Armstrong and Llewellyn are at last developing the kind of understanding all strike partnerships need in order to flourish.

'I thought that was the best they have played for me and that's what I was expecting when I brought them to the club at the beginning of the season,' said Smith after the Swindon match.

'I thought Chris Llewellyn's move-ment and everything else was good and I thought Chris Armstrong was strong and more direct and worked harder than he has been doing.

'Perhaps he's just getting into his stride because he hasn't played for three years really but I was delighted with their performances.'

Armstrong - whose start against Swindon was his 11th in the last 12 games - and Llewellyn totally over-shadowed Swindon's free-scoring strikers Tommy Mooney and Sam Parkin on Saturday.

Now in his second spell at the Racecourse, former Spurs hit-man Armstrong, 32, was instrumental in midfielder Steve Thomas's 67th-minute strike that put the hosts 3-1 up.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old former Wales international Llewellyn opened the scoring with his sixth goal of the season before laying his team's second on a plate for Carlos Edwards.

Both players have a history of injury trouble but Smith will be desperate to keep both fit as Wrexham enter a crucial period in their Division Two play-off challenge.

The Wrexham manager's only complaint after Saturday's Swindon match was about the size of the crowd.

The 3,384 attendance was the division's lowest of the day and Smith could not resist taking a dig at the absentees who missed the five-goal thriller.

'I think the people who stayed away missed an absolutely fantastic game. It was as good a game of football as you could see and there were three great goals,' he said.

'We kept the ball on the deck as much as we could and tried to play it out from the back and break.

'I thought it worked and the work involved in the goals was excellent. I was pleased with the way the lads went about their jobs.'

Wrexham's victory over promotion-chasing Swindon took them to within three points of sixth place and the Dragons boss added: 'I've said they are all becoming cup matches and we are getting to the stage when it's becoming interesting.

'People have obviously written us off when you look at the gate but we haven't. We are not going to lay down and we'll continue to battle until we run out of the opportunities to get there.'

Wrexham take on league leaders Plymouth on Saturday (March 27).

They were due to entertain Cardiff City yesterday (Wednesday, March 24) in the FAW Premier Cup - a match played after the Mail had gone to press. Swansea City manager Brian Flynn and assistant Kevin Reeves have left the club by mutual consent.

The former Wrexham management duo took over at The Vetch Field in September 2002 with the Swans bottom of the Third Division and saved them from the drop on the final day of last season.

But it is their recent league form, which has seen the club drop out of play-off contention, that signalled a parting of the ways, with backroom staff Alan Curtis and Richard Evans taking over in a caretaker role.