REED CAN KICK-START SEASON WITH OLD PALS CLASH
Daily Post
WREXHAM striker Jamie Reed will be relishing this afternoon's return to the ground where he became a fans' favourite.
The Dragons face ColwynBay today at Llanelian Road, where youngster Reed spent time on loan last season, proving a hit with Seagulls supporters.
With the 20-man squad for next week's tour of Northern Ireland rested, Wrexham will field a team of youngsters against the Unibond League outfit - with Reed, Trinidadian winger Josh Johnson and Swedish trialist Robin Kacaniklic the only senior players in the squad.
But Dragons boss Brian Carey said he would be looking to players like Reed to impress in an attempt to take their careers on to the next level.
Carey said: "It's a chance for us to have a look at some of the younger lads - we've had two young lads who have played first-team games recently in Chris Marriott and Neil Taylor and they've impressed, so we'll be looking for some of the others to do the same.
"It'll be good for them to play at ColwynBay, because their team will be older and stronger, so it will be good experience.
"And it'll be a good game for Jamie Reed to kick-start his season. He just has to get his head down and keep working hard and see how he goes. There are places there up for grabs for everybody."
Of Reed's spell at Llanelian Road last season, the manager added: "Jamie's a goalscorer, so it's good for him to get out and play.
"When players are not featuring regularly in the first team it's good for them to play games, and it's good for us to get a chance to see them away from ColliersPark. That's something we're going to look to do again with young players this season."
Also looking to impress Carey will be 18-year-old Swedish winger Kacaniklic, who scored after coming on as a substitute in the 5-3 win at Newtown on Wednesday, following his appearance in the narrow 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers at the Racecourse last week.
Carey said: "He's done okay - he's come on again during the week and scored a goal, and he's had a good spell with us so far.
"We'll have a look at him again at Bay and see what he can do. He's one for the future."
Missing from both today's game and the squad for the Ulster tour will be injured Matt Crowell, Andy Fleming and Neil Taylor.
Meanwhile, the Dragons boss said the club had saved money to invest in new players after Lee McEvilly's contract was cancelled on Thursday.
Carey said: "We've actually saved an awful lot of money by cancelling the contract, so we've got money now that we can spend elsewhere. We made him available but nobody came in, so that's what we had to do, but we wish him well."
WREXHAM LINE-UP TO FACECOLWYNBAY (Probable): Whelan, Price, Hunt, Marriott, L Jones, P Williams, Baynes, Matischok, Kacaniklic, Johnson, Reed. Subs: Maxwell, Edwards, Stewart, Head, J Jones.
SQUAD FOR ULSTER TOUR: A Williams, Michael Jones, G Evans, Hope, Pejic, Spender, Valentine, Mike Williams, Mark Jones, Mackin, Murtagh, D Williams, Done, Mohamed, Carvill, Llewellyn, Proctor, Roberts, E Williams, Marc Williams
MCEVILLY LEAVES DRAGONS
Darren Devine - Western Mail
WREXHAM striker Lee McEvilly has had his contract with the Red Dragons cancelled after boss Brian Carey made clear he was happy to begin the new season without the bustling centre-forward.
The players contract was torn up by mutual consent ahead of today's friendly with Unibond Division One South side Colwyn Bay.
Carey said, "He was no longer in the plans at our club and he wasn't going to get regular games so I suggested he should try and play elsewhere."
During his two-year spell at the Racecourse the striker scored 14 goals in 33 appearances and his aggressive style made him a firm favourite with fans.
But Irishman Carey said though the player's goals record was impressive his career has been dogged by injuries.
IRISH TRIP A NO GO FOR STEVE
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader
BRIAN CAREY today named his 20-man squad for Wrexham's two-game trip to Northern Ireland.
Wrexham fly to the province on Sunday for the third successive pre-season - but centre-back Steve Evans will not be travelling.
The Wales international centre-back damaged ankle ligaments when he was tackled in the closing minutes of Wednesday's 5-3 friendly win at Newtown.
And Evans, last year's Player of the Season, is bitterly disappointed to have picked up the injury which is likely to keep him out of action for between two and four weeks.
"Their player lunged in - it was clumsy more than anything - and he caught me on the ankle," said Evans today. "I felt it straight away and it was really sore.
"I'm not sure how long I will be out for, we'll have to see how it settles down, but hopefully I will be back as soon as possible. It is not a fracture or a break but it is very disappointing.
"I've done all the hard work to get myself fit and now I'll have to wait around for it to heal, and then start again. I'm just hoping it heals quickly and I'm back soon."
Reds' boss Carey, unhappy with the challenge on Evans, has named another ankle ligament injury victim, Simon Spender, in the Ireland party.
Spender turned his ankle in training on Saturday and Carey is hoping the defender will be available for the first friendly against Inter Toto Cup entrants Cliftonville on Wednesday.
"Simon should be okay by the time the first game comes around," said Carey today. "His injury is nowhere near as bad as Steve's.
"It was a bad tackle and you don't expect that in a game like that. Steve's loss is a big blow."
Brian Carey includes his five summer signings - Anthony Williams, Richard Hope, Conell Murtagh, Eifion Williams and Michael Proctor - in the squad that will be based in Newcastle on the County Down coastline during their week-long stay.
Captain Neil Roberts, absent for the midweek friendlies against Newtown and Burnley because of illness, returns and there is also a place for trialist striker Kai Mohamed, Carmarthen Town's leading scorer last term.
"Kaid is coming with us so we can have a closer look at him," said Carey. "He has played in a few friendlies and done okay so we will see how it goes."
But Carey reassured the young first team players who were not embarking on the Ireland trip that they were still part of his plans.
"The likes of Andy Fleming, Josh Johnson, Jamie Reed, Neil Taylor and Wes Baynes who miss out, the message to them is think back to Bryan Hughes," said Carey.
"Bryan was left behind by Brian Flynn and did not come to the Isle of Man but he was sold the next season for £1 million to Birmingham," said Carey. "They still have a part to play."
Carey stressed that as well as playing two competitive matches, heading away on a short break offered a lot of opportunities.
"As well as the games, it is a chance to knuckle down and work on things in training, and put some ideas together," said Carey. "We have access to the players 24-7 while we are there, and this is a chance to do some work and improve on things.
"It is good for team bonding and you get to know people more closely on a tour."
Meanwhile, there was good news regarding striker Juan Ugarte, troubled for the last two years with knee and hamstring injuries, who is continuing to make progress.
"We had a recovery session yesterday after the two friendlies this week and Juan has done a bit with us," added Carey. "He is coming along okay."
Wrexham squad for Northern Ireland: Anthony Williams, Michael Jones, Hope, Pejic, Gareth Evans, Mike Williams, Spender, Valentine, Carvill, Mark Jones, Murtagh, Mackin, Danny Williams, Done, Llewellyn, Mohamed, Proctor, Eifion Williams, Roberts, Marc Williams.
