DIFFERENT WORLD FOR MIKE WILLIAMS
Mark Currie - Daily Post

FOR all the success he is enjoying at international level, Wales under-21 defender Mike Williams hasn't forgotten that his first priority is to Wrexham and their battle against relegation.

The 21-year-old returned to Colliers Park yesterday to prepare for this afternoon's League Two match at Barnet following an arduous trip to Bosnia & Herzegovina, where Flynn's young side maintained their bid to reach the 2009 Uefa Championship finals with a 2-1 win in Sarajevo.

"It's like two different worlds," said Williams yesterday. "Confidence couldn't be higher in the Wales camp because we picked up another three points even though we didn't play as well as we can in Sarajevo.

"They say that to play poorly and still win is the mark of a good side, but at the end of the day it is Wrexham who are paying my wages.

"Don't get me wrong, I am filled with pride every time I pull on the Wales shirt but Wrexham comes first. I want the club to stay in the Football League and that's what matters, starting at Barnet tomorrow."

Still disappointed he was refused permission to turn out for the Dragons in their Easter Monday clash with Dagenham & Redbridge because Flynn's squad met up 24 hours earlier, Williams is resigned to starting on the bench at Underhill.

"That's the downside of playing for Wales," he added. "Going abroad meant I was not back here training until this morning, which is difficult in terms of planning for the Saturday game.

"And Richard Hope played instead of me on Monday so I can well understand why I'll probably be on the bench. But I don't care about that as long as Wrexham get the three points."

Even though he was not at the Racecourse for Monday's frustrating 0-0 draw with the Daggers, Williams received regular updates during the game from his clubmate and brother, Marc.

"We were on the phone together every five minutes," he said. "It's even worse than watching the game, especially as we were obviously so much on top, so it was extremely disappointing when the final result came through.

"We really could have done with the three points because it would have given us a good start to an important little run of games. Tomorrow's match is followed by Mansfield and Macclesfield, each of which present us with an opportunity to start climbing the table, so we cannot help but realise how important they are."

Although Williams is restored to his squad today, Dragons boss Brian Little will be without influential midfield pair Neil Roberts, who is ill, and Danny Sonner, hit again by Achilles trouble.

And defenders Carl Tremarco, Neil Taylor and Steve Evans remain sidelined, although the Wales centre-back is in with a chance of returning to full-time training on Monday.

"It's always a bit of a blow to be without several players, but you still have to pick the best available team," said Little.

"We have Jeff (Whitley), Sam (Aiston) and Chris (Llewellyn) to play in midfield and it's good to have Mike Williams back. He's had a great result with Wales in the week and the experience will have done him the world of good.

"He is proving to be a very good player. He is very much part of our squad and both he and his brother are focused on becoming the best footballers they possibly can be."

With just nine games left to claw back a seven-point deficit in the relegation scrap, the Racecourse boss is well aware that it was a 2-1 win at Barnet that proved the turning point in last season's fight for Football League survival.

But Little insists Wrexham's fate is in their own hands. "We need to play a bit better than we have in our last couple of trips to London," he said. "I felt we should have got something from the game at Brentford, but the main thing is that we are a competitive team now.

"We know we have to win games because we know where we are in the table and where we want to be. Other people may think we can't do it but we won't give up and still we believe we can get out of trouble.

"Everyone here knows what happened at Barnet last season and it would be great if it happened again.

"But I don't believe in fate or the stars, so only we can make it happen again and that's what we'll be looking to do."

The manager added: "We could do with a bit of a break after the way it went on Monday and to give ourselves a chance we need to get back-to-back wins at some stage and - preferably - sooner rather than later."

LITTLE - WREXHAM NEED A RUN OF VICTORIES
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader

BRIAN LITTLE knows victories are the order of the day in Wrexham's crucial run-in.

Bottom of the table Wrexham go into their game against Barnet at Underhill tomorrow (3pm) seven points away from safety, though they have games in hand on the other sides battling to avoid the drop.

And with nine games remaining, Little wants Wrexham to string wins together to avoid losing any more ground on their relegation rivals.

"We can't afford too many more slip-ups," said Little. "Not losing tomorrow is vital but we need a few wins.

"I know I keep saying it, and maybe it is getting on people's nerves, but it is the truth.

"We need to win two games in a row. We have won one but have never quite been able to back it up.

"Spirit is good and we have got a game plan which we will put into practice. We know what we have got to do and we are going there to win."

Little has also given his clearest indication yet that he may stay on no matter what happens this season.

"I certainly would stay if everything was right," said Little. "We have to make sure everything is right for all parties and if that is the case then there's no reason why that shouldn't be the case.

"We've had conversations down that road and at the moment things are looking very positive towards that.

"I do like it here. It would be nice to do a good job here and that is something I'm quite into at the moment.

"There is some unfinished business and whatever happens I think it would be nice to try and see this job through, to try and make sure the club gets set up properly.

"There is life after the Football League if that happens but none of us think that is the right thing to happen.

"Nowadays, going into the Conference there are a lot of very solid, well-run football teams and it's more difficult to get out of. There is a route back, and when teams do come back they come back stronger."

Little knows that Wrexham need to start scoring as they failed to capitalise on a succession of goal scoring opportunities against Dagenham and Redbridge on Monday.

But Little said there were plenty of positives to take out of the stalemate: "We needed to win on Monday after losing at Brentford on Saturday," he said. "We did a lot of good things right and it was a major disappointment not to win with all the chances we created.

"One point was a blow but we can't let it get us down. We have to build on all the good things we did."

Little has a couple of injury concerns to contend with ahead of the trip to north London.

Midfielder Danny Sonner is struggling with a recurrence of an Achilles injury which forced him off at half-time against Dagenham, while his replacement Neil Roberts was sent home from training yesterday with a viral infection.

"Danny is sore and a doubt but we are hoping Neil will be okay," said Little. "We have a few alternatives. Jeff Whitley is fit and well, and his experience will be important."

Little could also turn to midfielders Silvio Spann, Mark Jones and Danny Williams who all played in the reserves' 3-0 victory against Accrington Stanley on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, defender Mike Williams was due back in training today after playing for Wales under 21s in midweek, but left-backs Neil Taylor and Carl Tremarco are definitely out.

And although defender Steve Evans and striker Rob Duffy both trained yesterday, Little may opt to delay a possible return for the duo until Tuesday's crunch clash at relegation rivals Mansfield Town.