WREXHAM have got to learn to play for 90 minutes.

That was manager Denis Smith's verdict as his side slumped to their fourth Successive league defeat last night.

After a poor first half against Torquay United at Plainmoor last night, where they conceded the only goal of the game, Wrexham turned in an improved performance after the break and were only denied by the heroics of former Reds' keeper Kevin Dearden.

Smith, who was without seven members of his first team squad due to injury, criticised his players and has threatened changes.

Smith said: "We didn't perform in the first half. If you go out and think you just have to turn up to get three points then you're going to find your-selves in trouble.

"It shouldn't be for me to jump up and down and slaughter people at half time to get a result.

"Second half we dominated and it was more like a cup game, they were hanging on and their keeper made some good saves — but we have got to do that for 90 minutes.

"We looked as though we wanted to win. They've worked harder, they've closed down better, made more runs into the box and put the ball into the box.

"We have thrown away an opportunity. We've done it twice in the last couple of weeks, at Blackpool and here - we've played for half a game in two games.

"I'm not happy with it, I won't accept it. I think some of the players think 'well he can't do anything about it because he can't get any more players in'.

"I'll find some way of doing something about it."

Smith identified the defensive midfield position as a problem area and his plans are not helped with Danny Williams and Jim Whitley still out through injury.

And he felt the move from which Tony Bedeau's winner came because he was without a recognised player in that position.

"If I've got a defensive midfield player he hasn't got that room to pick that spot, I haven't got a defensive midfield player, said Smith.

"I've got to find one from somewhere because I haven't got one in the club.

"The only other possible option was Steve Roberts. I was thinking about him and he was struggling at half time."

Roberts was forced off just two minutes into the second half because of hamstring problems, being replaced by Craig Morgan, but Smith refuses to use injuries as an excuse.

"His hamstring's tight, but hopefully it's not too bad," said Smith. "Craig Morgan came on and I thought he did well.

"We're stretching and stretching and stretching. But that's an excuse - I don't want excuses.

"If everybody worked like they did in the second half for 90minutes and we'd lost, I'd have been happy." Asked if that was a message he would be hoping his players heeded, Smith added: "Oh, I think they know now."

Wrexham made the trip to the south coast on Monday afternoon and Smith says the preparations for one of the longest away games of the season could not have been better.

Smith said: "The preparation was ideal and not one of them can say otherwise because we've asked them: 'Anything wrong with the preparation? Nothing whatsoever'.

"It could not be better so they've got no excuses expect being basically bloody idle."

Smith gave a full debut to striker Juan Ugarte and felt the striker was one of the better Reds' players at Plainmoor.

Smith said: "Juan did okay. He had four or five shots at goal, worked hard, joined up quite well. When it went long possibly that doesn't suit him, but he's got to get used to British football at times.

"No complaints about what he did, I thought he was one of the better ones."