NEIL ROBERTS WILL MISS KEY MATCHES
Mark Currie - Daily Post

NEIL ROBERTS looks like missing out on a crucial period for Wrexham after picking up an injury in training.

Manager Brian Little yesterday ruled the hard-working midfielder out of tomorrow's visit of Grimsby Town, and added Roberts is also a doubt for Tuesday when Wrexham entertain Peterborough United.

And Little refused to say when Roberts is likely to be back after he turned an ankle, but acknowledged his absence was a huge blow.

"He went over on his ankle yesterday," said Little. "And he will definitely miss out on Saturday's game.

"It will take a bit of time to heel and potentially he will miss a few games. At the moment I can't really say about Tuesday, but I wouldn't expect him to be back.

"It's the first real injury we've had in training since I've been here and it's just one of those things because injuries do happen. But Neil has been playing well and will be missed."

Meanwhile, striker Stuart Nicholson, who has yet to taste defeat in a Wrexham shirt, has dubbed the coming week as 'massive' as the Dragons embark on the first of three home matches tomorrow against Grimsby.

Nicholson, 21, who joined the relegation-battling club from West Brom during last month's transfer window, has more than played his part in a five-match unbeaten run and says he has already learned a great deal from the experience.

"Since I came in I've been playing wide right," he said. "It's something new for me, because I've always been an out and out striker, and it's taught me that I have a responsibility to do my share of defensive work.

"That's especially true when we are away from home when I'm operating almost as a wing back, but I'm enjoying it and feel it has added something to my game.

"The downside is that it's more difficult to get goal-scoring chances from there, but the main job is to link up with Drewe Broughton in the middle and provide the opportunity for the midfield players to get forward."

"I've got a bit of pace, which is a big asset in this division, so I'll always fancy my chances to beat the full-back and create chances for the other lads. And if I get an opportunity to go through on goal myself I know it's important to make sure it's put away."

After the successive postponements of matches at MK Dons and Hereford United, Nicholson is keen to return to the Racecourse where Grimsby will be followed by Peterborough United on Tuesday and fellow League Two strugglers Mansfield Town on Saturday week.

"It's a massive week for the club," he added. "But we have been in a good run of form recently and know what to expect.

"By all accounts, Wrexham were unfortunate to lose at Grimsby just before I came in and we did well at Peterborough, so both games are winnable, and then we face the biggest one of the three against Mansfield.

"That could turn out to be one of the most important matches of the season for us, but no-one is looking that far ahead at the moment. We have to take each game as it comes and make sure we concentrate on beating Grimsby on Saturday."

Nicholson, who was on loan at Shrewsbury earlier in the season, is allowed to remain at Wrexham until April 19, which means he will miss a minimum of two games as the season reaches its finale.

But he is pretty confident that the Dragons will be safe from the threat of relegation by that stage.

"In terms of my situation at West Brom, I guess I'll be judged on what I achieve here at Wrexham this season," he said. "I don't know if they will be looking at how many goals I score, but I'm more interested in becoming a better all-round player and if I don't score but we keep on picking up three points I'll be happy to settle for that."

"My loan spell comes to an end a fortnight before the end of the season and hopefully the job will have been done by then. If it's not, I'll be cheering on the lads from the stands because I'm confident that Wrexham will stay up."

FAW PREMIER CUP FUTURE FACING D-DAY TALKS
Steve Tucker - Western Mail

THE future of the FAW Premier Cup will be thrashed out at a meeting next week.

The competition, which pits Wales' three professional clubs against its prominent exiles and the top Welsh Premier League sides, faces an uncertain future and there is growing speculation that it could now be scrapped.

The competition was the brainchild of BBC Wales and was ostensibly seen as a way to provide football to fill the station's schedules when it did not have the rights to show extensive Football League action featuring Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham.

But, with the BBC having secured a three-year deal to show highlights and 10 live matches from the Championship from 2009, the Premier Cup could well become superfluous to requirements.

But FAW general secretary David Collins said he hoped the competition would continue and hailed it as a great success for Welsh football.

However, Swansea and Wrexham were knocked out in the quarter-finals this year and Cardiff fielded a second-string side in succumbing on penalties in the semi-final to Newport on Tuesday.

The final will now be contested by Newport and either Llanelli or Carmarthen with the winner pocketing £100,000.

Many have questioned the validity of the competition, especially when efforts to gain a European place for the winners floundered early on.

But Collins said, "Personally, I would like to see it continue and I am sure the FAW directors on the board would go along with that.

"I think over the last 10 years the competition has been a big success. It has been a chance for the three professional clubs in Wales, the likes of Newport and Merthyr and the Welsh Premier sides to meet each other.

"The financial rewards have always been important and we have seen ground improvements at some clubs in line with the televising of certain ties.

"Whether the BBC gaining rights to Football League action has a bearing on the competition's status remains to be seen."

NO FAVOURS FOR REDS SAYS OLD BOY NICK FENTON
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader

GRIMSBYTOWN centre-back Nick Fenton has fond memories of Wrexham as a child and is hoping for another enjoyable visit tomorrow with the Mariners.

Fenton moved to Lixwm near Holywell when he was 10, and even spent time as a young player with the Dragons in his early years.

But while the 28-year-old admits it always nice to return 'home' - he will be gunning for three League Two points at Wrexham's expense.

He knows it won't be easy, though, against a side that looks like turning a corner under the stewardship of experienced ex-Aston Villa boss Brian Little.

Fenton said: "Wrexham played well at our place. They brought in a few new players in January and many are experienced heads so they are a different kettle of fish now. They have had a few good results of late against some good teams so it will be tough for us tomorrow.

"Brian Little is a big name manager and a lot of people were surprised he took the Wrexham job on.

"But he has a chance to become a hero again. They have picked up and if they get out of relegation trouble this year I think it would be an even bigger escape than last season.

"That would be a feather in Brian's cap.

"It's always a hard place to go and play. It's a big pitch but they try and play football like us so it should make for a good game, and we know we can go there and win.

"I was brought up about 20 miles from there in Flintshire, and I used to be at Wrexham as a kid - it was my first club.

"As an under-10 and 11 I spent some time at Manchester City, but I also had a spell at The Racecourse.

"I know the set-up there very well and enjoyed going there - and still do when I go back.

"The fans are very passionate and no doubt will be behind their team again tomorrow. Results seem to have gone against them a lot lately and they have gone adrift a bit again at the bottom.

"But they won't be a pushover as we saw at BlundellPark."

Mariners' boss Alan Buckley has challenged his players to bounce back from defeat to Dagenham at Wrexham and play for their shirts in Tuesday's rearranged Johnstone's Paint Trophy northern final first leg at Morecambe.

While the manager is focusing his attentions on a return to form in League Two at the Racecourse Ground, he says the players have the chance to prove their worth ahead of Tuesday's trip to Christie Park.

"If it drives them on against Wrexham then all the better for that game.

"Wrexham are unbeaten in five since they lost at Blundell Park and when you look at those five games, they have played some really good teams."