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Andy's in the firing line
By David Lovett, Evening Leader

BATTLE-SCARRED Andy Dibble is ready to go into the firing line again on Saturday.

The big Welshman will face Leyton Orient at The Racecourse with a black eye which needed eight stitches after he was gashed by flying studs at Cambridge.

"It’s black and blue at the moment," said Dibble.

"I wouldn’t want to get another knock on it, but provided there is no sound medical reason, I hope to be able to play on Saturday.

"This sort of thing goes with the territory of being a keeper, but the third division is very physical. And that’s one area where we need to be stronger. The thing is, we’re not a very physical side and we need to be if we are going to get out of this division.

"I’m not saying we have to go out and start kicking people up in the air. But perhaps we are a little naïve defensively at times.

"We’ve been disappointed at places like Rushden and Cambridge for not getting three points. I didn’t think Cambridge were ever going to score against us last Saturday. We defended very well and I’m not saying they scored two because I had to go off. Young ‘Withers’ did all he could under the circumstances."

Rookie Paul Whitfield was thrown in at the deep end after dazed dibble was forced to come off with blood oozing from his split eyebrow. Minutes later Wrexham also lost centre-back Denis Lawrence with strained knee ligaments.

His place went to Craig Morgan, the strapping 17-year-old who had an eventful last 10 minutes. Morgan’s mistake cost Wrexham a goal and the U’s scored again a minute later. But as the game roared into injury time Morgan thundered home a headed equaliser.

Dibble said: "Football-wise we are playing some great stuff and, if we keep it up, I think we have as good a chance as any to get promotion. There’s a long way to go yet, but we’re still up there. All we’ve got to do is keep going."

WREXHAM defender Dan Bennett, who will be fit for Saturday, has been named in the Singapore squad for the Tiger Tournament in December. Bennett - as exclusively revealed in the Evening Leader - is accepting an invitation to become a Singapore citizen so he can play for his adopted country.

He was a member of Team Singapore in a double-header against Liverpool and Manchester United last year. Bennett was outstanding in both games and was voted S League player of the year for 2001. Bennett said: "I’m very happy. I have always wanted to represent the country I was brought up in. It’s an honour for me."

The Tiger Cup is being jointly hosted by Indonesia and Singapore from December 15-29. There will be training camps and friendly games in the run-up and Bennett, who is the only overseas player involved, will need to get permission to leave Wrexham.

DENIS SMITH was today trying to resurrect a loan deal to bring a Premiership wing-back to The Racecourse.

The Wrexham boss has been forced to go back to his original plan to sign a loan player as the problems just keep piling up for Smith.

He is told by Shaun Holmes – and not Sammy McIlroy – that the Northern Ireland defender is on his way to Spain after an emergency call up.

Defender Craig Morgan got injured in training, joining defenders Steve Roberts, Dan Bennett and Paul Edwards in physio Mel Pejic’s treatment room.

Youngster Sam Spender, who was being earmarked for the right wing-back role at home to Leyton Orient on Saturday, damaged ankle ligaments in last night’s 4-3 reserves’ defeat.

And regular right wing back, Carlos Edwards, begins a three match ban against The O’s.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the Premiership manager Smith has been dealing about the possibility of a loan move has gone away on holiday!

Born-fighter Smith showed no signs of giving in today despite revealing: "I’ve got 14 fit players for Saturday and only one wing back."
Smith certainly didn’t hide his disappointment at Shaun Holmes’ late call-up to the Northern Ireland.

"The player told me and I had no word from Northern Ireland. That’s disappointing. We pay his wages but they can take him whenever they want. And he’s only going to be on the bench anyway.

"I’ve spoken to Sammy McIlroy – we were team-mates at Stoke – and he is going to get back to me but there’s no way we can stop Shaun from going.

"If we did that he would never play for his country again. I’ve had a chat with Shaun this morning and he’s excited at the prospect of being called up by his country.

Smith is now looking for a replacement for Holmes, whose place could eventually go to Jim Whitley.

"I was going to play Jim on the right and the physio told me yesterday that Paul Edwards wouldn’t be fit for Saturday," added Smith.

"Simon Spender was a possibility on the right but now he’s picked up an ankle ligament injury.

"We’re really struggling and that’s why I’m going to see if we can resurrect the loan deal.

"But the manager at the club I’m talking to is away on holiday – and he was my link in to the player.

"Ideally I wanted the player in to train before Saturday’s game but I’ve got until tomorrow to try and fix something up."