Wrexham Evening Leader

Home form is the key says Wrexham boss Brian Little
By Richard Jones, Evening Leader

11/12/07

Sam AistonBRIAN LITTLE today revealed the importance of becoming hard to beat at home.

Wrexham boss Little saw his side take four points from three consecutive away games in the space of eight days and is now looking forward to returning to The Racecourse Ground against Brentford on Saturday.

Wrexham's only home match under the leadership of Little was his first in charge of the Reds and resulted in a 2-2 stalemate against arch rivals Chester City.

"It is massive that we make ourselves difficult to beat at home," said Little.

"Psychologically it will be very important for us to get a result against Brentford – if we can get into the game, start well and hopefully win, it would be great for us.

"That in itself would do us all the world of good, the fans the world of good and do me the world of good.

"Winning in this business is what it is all about."

Little, who saw his unbeaten record come to an abrupt end in a 3-0 defeat away at Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday, admits he made errors with his team selection but backed his reasons why.

And after holding up his hands to the mistakes, he declared himself fully focused on getting things right for Wrexham's match against the Bees, who have lost their last five league matches and are just four points and four places above Wrexham who have a game in hand.

"My only focus now is to try and pick the right team for Saturday," said Little.

"If the half-time substitution got us a point against Dagenham people would have forgiven me, but that is the fine line between getting it right and getting it wrong.

"As a football manger, if you win football matches you also win arguments all weekend, but if you lose football matches you don't win any arguments.

"On Saturday I lost so it is pointless me trying to paper over the cracks by saying how this went wrong, that went wrong and the referee did this – that's rubbish.

"Whatever team I pick this weekend, it will only be right if I win."

Boss Little deployed a 3-5-2 formation against Dagenham before reverting to a 4-4-2 system for the second half.

The introduction of on-loan winger Sam Aiston made an instant impact on proceedings and Little refused to rule out the prospect of lining up with two out-and-out wingers against Brentford.

"You have to have different plans for different games," added Little. "We have people like Sam Aiston, young Matty Done and Josh Johnson who can all play in wide areas.

"Playing with wingers is often a good way to play, but coming into these past three games I felt we needed to be strong at the back and up until Saturday that proved to be right.

"I get paid to pick the team and last weekend it didn't work – at half-time I had to change things and from then on we were the better team for large periods of the game.

"Little things may have influenced my selection, such as Sam Aiston being ill all week, and I guess if Sam had been 100 per cent fit then I might have started with him.

"But I am not making excuses and I don't think I was wrong to start the game the way I did – it just didn't work.

"We had taken points from the previous two away games and if I had changed the tactics people would be asking why?"

Despite the defeat, Little is generally pleased with the start he has made at Wrexham and, although he admits there is still a huge job to be done, believes his players have generally done well to take four points from three away games.

"Had we got a result on Saturday we probably would have surprised most people when you consider we have had three away games in a row, and a week ago we were bottom of the league," added Little.

Festive cheer for fans as Wrexham offer cut price ticket deal

SUPPORTERS are being offered the chance of cut price admission for Wrexham's last home match before Christmas at The Racecourse.

The club is offering fans attending the game against Brentford on Saturday the chance to buy advanced tickets for reduced prices.

Adults will pay just £10 wherever they sit in the Mold Road/Yale Stands or stand on the Kop a– excluding Executive Lounge and Boxes – and it is £5 for Juniors in the Mold Road Stand.

The offer applies to all tickets purchased before Saturday, while Season Ticket Holders will be eligible for a special deal in the New Year.

Football Secretary Geraint Parry said: "During the final three games at the end of last season, it showed just how important our supporters were in getting behind the team and lifting them at a crucial point in the team's history.

"You really did become our 12th man on that occasion in the fight to retain our Football League status – let's try and replicate that atmosphere by bolstering our current position in the table and supporting Brian Little's rebuilding plans."