Wrexham Evening Leader

Day off will do for Ferguson

By RICHARD WILLIAMS

02 December 2005

Darren FergusonDARREN FERGUSON is glad Wrexham don’t have a match tomorrow – because he may not have been fit to play.

The Reds’ skipper has been struggling with a knee injury picked up in last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Boston United.

Wrexham don’t have a fixture tomorrow because they have been knocked out of the FA Cup but Ferguson, who admits he would have been doubtful, is confident of being fit to captain the side against Mansfield at The Racecourse on Tuesday evening (7.45pm).

“I’ve been struggling with my bruised knee and I’ll see if I can train today but from my point I’m glad we do not have a game because I may not have made it,” Ferguson said today. “We don’t have a fixture but at least we are not missing any league matches.”

Ferguson is also ranked second in the League Two statistics for assists that lead to goals and the midfielder is delighted with that - but wants to find the net more himself.

“Part of my job is to create goals but I am looking to score a few more and add to my two goals,” Ferguson said. “But as long as someone is scoring and we are winning games it does not matter who gets the goals.”

As well as facing Mansfield at home on Tuesday, Wrexham also entertain Notts County at The Racecourse on Saturday and Ferguson is targeting two victories.

“We have got two home matches and we need to get six points,” added Ferguson. “We should have won at Boston on Saturday but a couple of decisions went against us which was unfortunate. Our home form is good and if we continue to play like we are, will get the results.”

Reds’ boss Denis Smith is disappointed Wrexham are without an FA Cup tie, having been knocked out in the first round at Port Vale, but he knows the prime objective is promotion this season.

“I would prefer to be involved tomorrow, it’s the FA Cup,” Smith said today. “I am a great fan of the competition and not to be in it is sickening, but that is football and there are other things for us to play for. And the major prize is still there.

“I am delighted with our form, home and away, we are playing well enough. We should have two away victories this season but we were robbed at Boston.

“I am looking for maximum points from the two matches at home next week. It is good to win at home because there are more fans watching but I am sure our supporters would be happy if we won all our away matches rather than at home and got promotion.

“Things are coming together. There is always room for improvement, and we are always working hard on things. No-one is ever perfect and are still a way from that. But the squad as a whole has done well.”