ANDY MORRELL has given his players a timely reminder of the threat that Forest Green Rovers pose but he is looking to leave The New Lawn with three points tonight.
Wrexham travelled to Forest Green last season on the back of an opening day victory over Cambridge but the Reds were on the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat.
And while he is not taking their mid-table opponents lightly, player-boss Morrell is looking for Wrexham to extend the unbeaten league run to 17 matches.
“It will be a tough game,” said Morrell. “We mentioned to the players how we went there last season after winning the first game, everything was rosy and we lost 3-0 and were very disappointed.
“I wouldn’t say it was a thumping, we just weren’t great and it brought us back down to earth so we can’t have that again.
“We are focussed and we go again, but it will be tough.”
Morrell, whose side hold a two-point lead at the top of the league, added: “I want to go and win. We have got to keep the unbeaten run going but if we can’t win, don’t lose. That’s what I was always told.
“Our away record is good so we go to Forest Green to try and win the game.
“If we can bring something back from it then great.”
Fleetwood Town are still hot on the heels of Wrexham and Morrell is focussed on staying ahead of the Cod Army.
“We are going toe-to-toe with Fleetwood at the minute and there are teams behind us that are probably looking at us going ‘they are going to have problems at some point’,’ said Morrell.
“If you look at the play-off places, there are a few going well but we are top of the league at the minute and that is where we want to stay.”
Wrexham bounced back from their disappointing FA Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion by beating Kettering Town 4-1 at the weekend.
Morrell admitted it wasn’t Wrexham’s best performance but said he was pleased the Reds ground out a win while not at their best.
“Sometimes you are not going to play great and you are going to have to dig in and graft,” said Morrell.
“That is what we have got in this team, we can graft. We have got a few goals in there and we don’t concede many so in a couple of games we have managed to nick a win that maybe we didn’t deserve. It is a very good trait to have.
“I feel for the position Kettering are in. First half we weren’t great and you could see the hangover from Wednesday.
“There were a few tired bodies but we got a few fresh legs on in the second half and that helped.
“We were comfortable winners in the end and maybe it was a good game for us to have after the Brighton tie.
“But we are going to have to be better tonight if we are going to get anything out of it.”
Although Danny Wright is definitely sidelined, Morrell hopes fellow strikers Mathias Pogba and Jake Speight will make their return from injury at Forest Green.
“Mathias and Jake are quite close,” said Morrell. “We will have a look at them and see whether there is any reaction to the bits they did yesterday.
“If they are okay, they will be involved somewhere.
“We are a bit light up top and we looked at maybe bringing some in but with Mathias being so close, and a chance he might be available, we don’t need to rush into anything.”
Morrell still hopes to add to his squad during the transfer window.
“We are still looking,” added Morrell. “We have spoken to a few clubs about a few players so we will see.
“It is more till the end of the season so we will see if anything comes of them.”
Midfielder Jamie Tolley completes a two-game ban tonight while youth team player James Colbeck, who scored twice after coming off the substitutes’ bench for his senior debut against Kettering, has retained his place in the squad.