CAREY WARNS OF SELF-DESTRUCTING
BBC Sport

Brian Carey is urging his Wrexham players not to press the self-destruct ahead of their derby clash with Shrewsbury at the Racecourse on Sunday.

The Dragons boss has become increasingly frustrated by their ability to throw away games, the most recent being at Notts County last week.

And he told the Daily Post: "That's been the case far too often this season.

"I find I am repeating myself after nearly every game."

Last week's 90th-minute defeat to Notts County is an example of the type of performances that has left Wrexham next to bottom of the Football League.

"We have seen it time and again and the only occasion when it didn't happen was against Accrington Stanley where we controlled the game for pretty much the whole of the 90 minutes," said Carey.

But he is calling on his players to take their "controlled anger and aggression" shown in training on to the pitch.

"If we could put into matches what we put into training, there would not be a problem," he said

"We don't want training ground players and they have to perform when it matters.

"So far all we have seen is flashes of what they are capable of, but one incident in a match seems to have a negative effect on them and everything falls apart.

"And there is only so much you can tolerate in terms of people not doing their jobs properly."

Carey will be boosted by the addition of Swansea and Wales Under-21 midfielder Matty Collins who has joined on a month's loan.

"A new face always freshens up the group and his arrival will also liven things up in terms of selection.

"I'm sure Matty will be keen to show what he can do and there will be one or two here who realise they'll have to play for places and try to keep their jobs with us."

WREXHAM BRING IN A SWAN TO FACE SHREWS
Daily Post

WREXHAM manager Brian Carey has signed Swansea City midfielder Matty Collins on a month-long loan and is set to throw him straight into tomorrow's League Two Racecourse derby against Shrewsbury Town.

The Wales under-21 international has been unable to break into Roberto Martinez's table-topping League One side following his summer move from Fulham to the Liberty Stadium and has welcomed the opportunity to join the struggling Dragons.

Carey, who had been rebuffed by a number of other players during the week, clinched the deal yesterday afternoon and will introduce the 21-year-old to his new team-mates when they report for training this morning.

The Dragons boss said yesterday: "We have spoken to several clubs over the course of the past few days and they have all done their best to help us out.

"But in the majority of cases it is the players' agents who have advised their lads to hold out for a loan deal elsewhere.

"Roberto has been absolutely great and because he has a number of midfield players on the books he was keen to help. Matty has jumped at the chance and it will be a pleasant surprise for the players when they see him here tomorrow.

"A new face always freshens up the group and his arrival will also liven things up in terms of selection. I'm sure Matty will be keen to show what he can do and there will be one or two here who realise they'll have to play for places and try to keep their jobs with us."

Carey confirmed that Collins, who has been cleared to play in next weekend's FA Cup first-round tie at Peterborough United, would not be the only fresh face.

The search for goalkeeping cover for the injured Michael Jones is still ongoing and the Racecourse boss has cash available to bring in more players if results don't improve.

He has become increasingly frustrated by Wrexham's inclination to self-destruct, as they did most recently at Notts County by conceding a 90th-minute goal that cost them a draw.

"That's been the case far too often this season," added Carey. "We have seen it time and again and the only occasion when it didn't happen was against Accrington Stanley where we controlled the game for pretty much the whole of the 90 minutes.

"At the moment I find I am repeating myself after nearly every game but the fact is that if we could put into matches what we put into training, there would not be a problem.

"The quality and the tempo of today's session was excellent and there was a lot of controlled anger and aggression there, which suggests to me that the players want to put things right.

"But we don't want training ground players and they have to perform when it matters. So far all we have seen is flashes of what they are capable of, but one incident in a match seems to have a negative effect on them and everything falls apart.

"And there is only so much you can tolerate in terms of people not doing their jobs properly."

Defenders Ryan Valentine and Shaun Pejic, who returned from injury in a mid-week friendly against Liverpool, are recalled to the squad for tomorrow's clash as the Dragons bid to end of run of three successive defeats.

Following a promising start to the season, Shrewsbury have taken just three points from their last seven matches and Carey said: "It could not be a bigger game for us and everyone realises that this is the one that could kick-start our campaign.

"After today's session I told all the players that we want to see exactly the same again on Sunday, because what they gave in training is exactly what is required to win a derby match.

Shrewsbury have midfielder Steve Leslie available again following injury, but boss Gary Peters is unlikely to make too many changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Mansfield Town last weekend.

Fans are reminded that there are no ticket sales on the day. The Racecourse ticket office is open today from 9.30am to 4pm.

DRAGONS PLAYERS SHOULD SHARE BLAME
Darren Devine - Western Mail

WREXHAM goalkeeper Anthony Williams has called on Dragons' fans to lay off under-pressure boss Brian Carey.

Williams believes his teammates must accept their share of the blame following the club's fall to the bottom of League Two.

"It's understandable that the fans are upset and you need them on your side to progress as a team and a club," he said. "But, obviously, we're not giving them enough to get them on our side so it works both ways really.

"The lads need to have a look at themselves as well. It's not just the manager. He doesn't go out on a Saturday afternoon and lose the game."

Williams was recently a victim of the team's poor results when Carey dropped him after the Dragons conceded two late goals to lose at Macclesfield Town.

But now back in the team he has no complaints about being axed by a manager desperate to find a winning formula.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper said, "I put in a bad performance against Macclesfield and, as a goalkeeper, if you make a mistake it's a goal and there are no two ways about it.

"My performances have been too inconsistent and I need to get back to performing week in and week out.

"It's not just myself it's happened to - almost every person in the team has been left out at some stage."

Meanwhile, in a further attempt to arrest the Dragons' slide, Carey has brought in Swansea City midfielder Matty Collins on loan.

And the manager revealed the player is likely to be given a chance to make an immediate impact by starting tomorrow's derby contest with Shrewsbury Town.

Williams sees tomorrow's League Two contest with an out-of-sorts Shrewsbury side as an opportunity for his teammates to ease the pressure on their boss.

Shrewsbury go into the midday kick-off at the Racecourse without a win in their last seven outings.

"It's a derby and that could help us if we can draw in a bigger crowd.

"Hopefully they can create a bit of an atmosphere and we're still looking to go into the game full of confidence because we haven't performed as badly as the table suggests."

Williams was part of a Hartlepool United team that was bottom of League Two after 12 games, but ended up reaching the play-offs following an unbeaten run for the remainder of the season.

And the player believes winning, like losing, can simply become a habit.

He said, "It's not all doom and gloom yet, but we know we've got to start turning performances into wins sooner rather than later."

For Wrexham, Mark Jones (back) is certain to miss out as is Silvio Spann, who serves out a one-match ban following his dismissal in the defeat to Notts County last weekend.

Shrewsbury are likely to field an unchanged side from the outfit that drew 0-0 with Mansfield Town last time out.

REDS: DON'T PANIC!
Richard Williams - Evening Leader

ANTHONY WILLIAMS says he is refusing to press the panic button just yet.

Struggling Wrexham go into Sunday's all-ticket derby against Shrewsbury Town at The Racecourse languishing in second from bottom position in the League Two table.

The Reds have lost their last three matches and have been beaten in nine of their 12 outings this term.

However, goalkeeper Williams believes there is time for Wrexham to turn things around and is not panicking about the Reds'' current predicament.

"Hopefully we will get back to defending well, cleansheets and scoring goals at the other end to give the fans and the club a lift," said Williams today.

"That is what it deserves and needs.

"But we are not panicking yet - only 12 games have gone.

"A couple of years ago when I was at Hartlepool, we were bottom after the first 12 games and then went unbeaten for the next 23 matches, and reached the play-offs.

"So there is no need to panic."

Williams joined Wrexham in the summer after a successful loan spell at The Racecourse towards the end of last season, and he helped the Reds avoid relegation.

Although not happy with the way things have gone so far, Williams believes Wrexham are more than capable of improving their position, and said: "Obviously when things don't go well on the pitch you look at all sorts of things as to why it is going wrong."

"We will turn the corner, hopefully sooner rather than later.

"We are confident as a team that we can turn it around. We all can perform and the quality is there, but we have to cut out the individual errors which have cost us.

"Things have not changed since I came here. And I would not have joined Wrexham if I thought we would be struggling this season.

"We have got the ability but we are not doing it at the moment.

"The players are as frustrated as the fans."

Williams returned to the side at Notts County last weekend after being dropped against Barnet in the previous outing, with Michael Jones lining up between the posts.