Bryan Hughes says his Wrexham team are hurting after a run of five matches without a win which leaves them 16th in the Vanarama National League.
The Dragons have earned only three points from a possible 15 and manager Hughes says: “It’s hurting everybody – the players, myself and fans.
“We are in a blip and we’re trying to come out of it.”
His Wrexham team play a club nicknamed ‘The Honest Men’, Scottish club Ayr United, in a Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Scottish Challenge Cup fixture on Saturday – the first ever match between the clubs.
Ayr’s nickname is from famous Scottish poem Tam o’Shanter’ written by Scottish bard and Ayrshire-born, Rabbie Burns. who wrote a sweet anecdote to his native town which he described as a haven of ‘honest men’.
Cymru Premier clubs The New Saints and Connahs Quay Nomads also play in the same Challenge Cup competition.
TNS travel to face Stenhousemuir and Nomads are at home against Cove Rangers
Hughes knows it is important his Wrexham team earn a win, saying: “We need to put a win on the board and get that confidence back.
“Ayr United will be a tough game – they are going well in their league – but we can bounce back and are looking forward to it.
“It gives me an opportunity to maybe rest one or two and give game time to others, but our priority is the league.
https://twitter.com/Wrexham_AFC/status/1169950267925762048?s=20
“It’s nice to be involved in the competition and in a blue-sky world it would have been nice to rest a lot of players, but we need to get a confidence boost back into the players and Saturday could be that.
“Our current run is hurting everybody – the players, myself and fans.”
Former Manchester City youth player Jennings, aged 32, has backed his Wrexham team-mates to beat Scottish Championship club Ayr in the cup.
“It’s a game to put things right,” said Jennings. “We were disappointed in general after the 2-2 draw against Maidenhead.
“We felt we could have won it comfortably and had the chances there, but we are certainly not making things easy for ourselves at the minute.
“It seems to be difficult scoring, but teams are finding it too easy to score against us. Things needs to improve in both boxes.
“Saturday is a different challenge for us, a different cup and one of those where we don’t really know what to expect.
“We have to focus on ourselves and try to put things right so that we’re preparing in the best possible shape for the league fixture against Sutton next week.
“We set ourselves high standards and, individually and collectively, and if we’re not up to the standards we’ve set or that we’re used to then it’s disappointing.
“We are working as hard as possible to put things right. I fully back and believe in every single lad in the changing room, as the staff do, that we will get things right, get back on track and return to winning ways.”
The match against Ayr United kicks off at 3pm at the Racecourse Ground. Ticket details can be found here
Wrexham’s Jake Lawlor has been suspended for league matches, but is available to compete in the Challenge Cup, but Manny Smith is still out injured.
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Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup (last 32)
Result: Waterford 3, Hearts 1
Saturday, September 7
Airdrieonians v Bohemians
Clyde v Queen of the South
Dundee United v Arbroath
Dunfermline Athletic v Alloa Athletic
Formartine United v Glenavon
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Morton
Kelty Hearts v Solihull Moors
Montrose v Partick Thistle
Raith Rovers v Falkirk
St. Mirren u-21 v Stirling Albion
Stenhousemuir v The New Saints
Wrexham v Ayr United
Connah’s Quay Nomads v Cove Rangers
Sunday, September 8
Dundee v Elgin City
Wednesday, September 18
Ballymena United v Rangers u-21
