BRING ON THE DERBY SAY WREXHAM
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader

CARL TREMARCO today admitted that Wrexham's big derby clash against Chester City at The Deva Stadium on Sunday will be one of the biggest games of his career.

Left-wing back Tremarco has been brought in by manager Brian Little from Tranmere Rovers and had his contract, which runs until the end of the season, taken over by Wrexham.

Although Tremarco has featured in high profile matches with League One highfliers Tranmere, the 22-year-old said Sunday's eagerly awaited derby is up there with them and he is aiming to give Wrexham supporters something to cheer about.

"It is probably one of the biggest games I have played in," said Tremarco today.

"There are no derbies at Tranmere, but I did play for them at Nottingham Forest and at home against Leeds earlier this season.

"There have been some big games like them but for intensity and atmosphere, this is definitely up there with them.

The fans would love us to win for bragging rights and we are going there to try and do that."

Tremarco understands the significance of the cross border rivalry between the sides and said the fact that Wrexham are desperate for points in the battle to avoid relegation just makes it an even bigger fixture.

"A few of the lads have been talking about the rivalry with Chester for a few weeks now, and I know some of the lads at Chester who have said the same thing," he added.

"It is a big game anyway - every game in now until the end of the season - but the fact it is a derby against Chester just spices it up even more.

"I'm sure a couple of tackles will be flying in and the crowd will be really up for it like we are.

"We can't have any players going missing in big games."

However, Tremarco said Wrexham have to remain focussed with the job in hand but he believes the Reds have got enough in their armoury to trouble Chester, who sacked manager Bobby Williamson on Sunday after recording one win in 14 outings.

"We have to treat it as any other game, although you can't hide the fact it is Chester," said Tremarco.

"We've got to be 100 per cent at it, get the ball down and play, which we should be able to do as it is a decent pitch. And we've been working on passing it around from the back.

"Chester have been struggling and if we can get at them and keep it tight the first 15-20 minutes, who knows.

"If we get at them, we can cause them a few problems and give the defence a rest!"

Wrexham, six points away from safety, have been beaten just once in their previous eight matches while Chester, 17th in the table, are still not out of trouble.

And with Wrexham still to play a number of other teams struggling at the wrong end of the table, Tremarco stressed the importance of taking points off those sides: "I think we can come away with a result, hopefully a win," he said.

"Draws are good away from home, but we have to looking at beating teams.

"And there are teams around us in the table who have still got to come to The Racecourse where we've got to get results.

"I've said it before, if we don't beat teams around us, we don't deserve to stay up."

Tremarco, who has turned in some impressive performances since joining the Reds in January, admitted he would like to extend his stay at The Racecourse but said the priority was to pull clear of the drop zone.

"Nothing will probably happen until the end of the season, and we have to concentrate on getting safe," added Tremarco.

"I would like to stay. I've enjoyed my time here, they are a good set of lads and I get on well with the gaffer and the staff."

RED ALERT: Simon Davies setting his sights on derby success
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader

SIMON DAVIES is determined to breathe new life into Chester's run-in to the end of the season.

The newly-appointed Blues' caretaker boss was cruelly denied a share of the spoils after City were edged out 1-0 at Darlington in midweek due to a controversial winning goal.

And Davies is now focusing his sights on a morale-boosting home derby success story on Sunday against struggling cross-border neighbours Wrexham.

Davies, who has been elevated into the first team hotseat from youth team boss, believes Chester have the potential to conclude their campaign as strongly as they started under Bobby Williamson.

The City boss admitted he had been delighted to receive a positive response from the his squad for the Darlington game and, he believed that was perhaps due to the players knowing him so well.

Williamson wasn't afraid to promote talented youth team players such as Kevin Roberts, Glen Rule, Shaun Kelly, Sean Newton, Neil Carroll and Paul McManus, because he believed it was vital to provide a pathway to first team football.

And Davies indicated the same line of thought as Williamson at Darlington, where he named a very inexperienced-looking bench that included reserve keeper, Phil Palethorpe, Rule, Kelly, McManus, and winger Andy Mitchell who was introduced in the second half as a substitute.

Davies was without suspended Mark Hughes and injured Richie Partridge at Darlington, but both are likely to be named in the squad to face Wrexham.

The one big surprise at Darlington was the absence of skipper Paul Butler, and midfielder Tony Grant was also left out.

Davies may decide to tweak his line-up to face Wrexham and make a few changes to his starting line-up.

John Danby will stand between the posts as the only Chester ever-present so far this term.

Danby's shot-stopping can't be questioned so far this term after a succession of outstanding saves in one-on-one situations, but the former Kidderminster Harriers keeper has been criticised for his wayward clearances.

He will be joined in the defensive line by left back Laurence Wilson, centre halves Kevin Roberts and Paul Linwood, and right back, Stephen Vaughan.

Wilson is a naturally left-sided player who has pace, and he can play as a defender or midfielder. He started his career as a trainee at Everton and spent a spell on loan at Mansfield before joining the Blues.

Roberts is no stranger to scoring in a Chester-Wrexham derby having netted a spectacular volley in City's 2-2 draw earlier in the season at The Racecourse.

Roberts is the one player who is seen as an exciting prospect at Chester after being given his chance earlier this season by Williamson, and he has proved he is an able deputy for the vastly experienced Paul Butler, with pace, vision, and impressive ball control.

Linwood is a former Wrexham player after spending time with the Welsh club on loan from Tranmere Rovers. He eventually joined Chester after his fee was agreed by a tribunal.

Linwood forged a solid defensive partnership with Butler earlier on in the season, and has impressed the Blues faithful with his no-nonsense attitude in clearing danger, and his aerial supremacy in the backline.

Vaughan has retained his place at right back, and although he has been found wanting with his passing at times, he provides a dogged determination in his ability to track back and put in a tackle.

Davies may opt to play Richie Partridge on the right, Tony Dinning and Mark Hughes in central midfield, and Kevin Sandwith on the left flank in a 4-4-2 formation.

Partridge could hold the key for City against Wrexham if he can rediscover the jinking forward runs and clinical finishing that was a hallmark of his exciting appearances during the earlier part of Chester's campaign.

But Partridge needs close support and plenty of service to be effective in his bid to feed the Blues forward line and frustrate Wrexham's defensive line.

Dinning, who joined City from Stockport County, has become a steadying influence again for the Blues after recovering from an initial injury he suffered during the Wrexham-Chester derby at The Racecourse.

Dinning brings experience to the heart of the pitch and probing throughballs to menace the visiting defence.

Hughes is expected to return after a two-game suspension and provide a busy performance in his attempt to find the players in the line of attack.

And Sandwith completes the midfield on the left, enabling Kevin Ellison to push on in an attacking role alongside John Murphy.

Sandwith will be hoping to deliver a dependable role along the left flank as well as providing a threat from setpieces.

Murphy is City's targetman and aerial threat if he can connect with crosses from Partridge and Sandwith, or be in the right place at the right time to stab home a close range pass from Ellison.

IT'S ALL ABOUT US SAYS WREXHAM'S BRIAN LITTLE
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader

BRIAN LITTLE has stressed the importance of Wrexham not getting distracted by the results of their relegation rivals.

Bury's survival hopes were given a boost when they were won 4-1 at Brentford in midweek, while Dagenham and Redbridge's prospects have improved significantly after recording five consecutive victories.

Wrexham have games in hand on all the sides in the lower reaches, with the exception of Barnet, and manager Little said the Reds have to concentrate on themselves in the fight to avoid relegation.

"There have been a couple of surprise results," said Little today. "It was a surprise that Bury beat Brentford on Tuesday.

"But we can't let that take away the focus away from what we have got to do and that is finishing third from bottom or higher which would be great.

"We have to look after ourselves."

And with 14 matches remaining, Little said every one is a massive game and the aim is to keep adding to the points tally each week.

"A lot has happened here since then and also at Chester who have someone different in charge," said Little. "It is a massive game, but every game is huge and it is important to try and get something out of it.

"We are in a position where we need to keep picking up points. If we win, great, and we go out to do that each game believe me. The second option is not to lose.

"Every point is a step in the right direction, especially away from home."

Little does not anticipate wholesale changes but he rates midfielder Neil Roberts (ankle) and defender Steve Evans (knee) as extremely doubtful.

Danny Sonner (Achilles), who is hoping to be back in training today or tomorrow, has missed the last two matches and Little hopes the influential midfielder recovers in time to face the Blues.

"We will look at it closely today and tomorrow," added Little.

"Danny has played well for us and I suppose his influence will be best noted when he next plays.

"Derbies are normally fast and frantic, but my job is to pick a team that makes us competitive."

Striker Stuart Nicholson is a doubt for Sunday after picking up a groin injury in training.

WREXHAM (from): Ward, Bolland, Hope, Mike Williams, Spender, Spann, Whitley, Sonner, Tremarco, Proctor, Broughton, Llewellyn, Aiston, Hall, Duffy, Nicholson, Taylor, Anthony Williams.

Meanwhile, Chester's stand-in boss Simon Davies is facing the biggest game of his managerial career on Sunday

Davies, who took charge of Chester in their 1-0 defeat at Darlington on Tuesday, is determined to make the Blues hotseat his own after the dismissal of Bobby Williamson.

And Davies admitted he was looking forward to the challenge: "It feels good to be in charge at Chester for Sunday's match and I'm really looking forward to it - the game can't really come quick enough!

"The lads are looking forward to it as I would expect because it's a derby game, and I think they did really well the other night after the departure of Bobby Williamson."

MIKE WILLIAMS: I WON'T LOSE MY HEAD
Mark Currie - Daily Post

DEFENDER Mike Williams is determined not to let passion get the better of him in Sunday's derby date with cross-border neighbours Chester City.

The 21-year old reckons that nothing less than three points at the Deva Stadium will do for the Dragons in their bid to climb away from the foot of the League Two ladder and says that thought must remain uppermost in the mind, despite the pride that is always at stake when the two rivals meet.

Recalled by Racecourse manager Brian Little at the beginning of last month in the place of the suspended Richard Hope, Williams has since played his part in the club's best run of form this season - just one defeat in the last eight matches.

"I wasn't really getting a sniff," he said. "But the gaffer had told everyone to keep working hard and to take their chance when it came. When Hopey was suspended, I got back in the team and since then I've been holding onto the shirt.

"I feel I've done okay, but the most important thing is that our form has picked up as well, but I can't afford to be complacent because there are players like Steve Evans (currently injured) who will be available soon."

But, despite their improvement since the middle of January, Wrexham have found victories hard to come by and, with the clubs in and around them also picking up points, still find themselves six points adrift of the safety zone.

"We desperately need to win a game or two now," added Williams. "We have been pretty solid and we've been picking up points, but everyone else has been doing the same.

"On Sunday we have a chance of going there and nicking a win but we must make sure we keep our heads, concentrate solely on winning the game and not get involved in anything else."

Goals from Neil Roberts and Mark Jones earned Wrexham a 2-1 win in their visit to the Deva last season, a match in which Williams came off the bench to play the final 13 minutes.

And as well as looking forward to his first start on opposition soil this Sunday, Williams will be looking to extend his own record against City. "A result like last year's would suit us down to the ground," he said.

"I've not been on the losing side against them after coming on there and also playing in the 0-0 Racecourse draw later in the season."

In addition to playing his part in Wrexham's relegation battle, Williams has one eye on his international ambitions later this month, with the Wales under-21 side facing a big Uefa Championship match in Bosnia-Herzegovina 48 hours after the Dragons' Easter Monday game against Dagenham & Redbridge.

The defender has been a virtual ever-present in Brian Flynn's squad, who are on the verge of reaching the tournament's final stages for the first time.

"Wales are meeting up on the Saturday night after Wrexham's game at Brentford and I've got mixed feelings," said Williams.

"It's always an honour to play for Wales and we are in with a chance of making history. But if I'm selected for the squad I'll still be worried that I'm letting Wrexham down by missing the Monday game.

"If it was up to me, I'd be prepared to play in both our Easter matches and meet up with the under-21s on the Monday night."