Byline: DAVE JONES
STRIKER Andy Mangan hopes the old philosophy about waiting for buses also applies to his goals record as he prepares for Wrexham's tripto Hayes and Yeading today.
The 24-year-old found the net for the first time since March in the Dragons' 2-1 home defeat to AFC Wimbledon last Saturday.
"It was good to get the monkey off my back and receive the confidence boost scoring a goal can bring," said the Liverpool-born front man.
"As the saying goes, you wait ages for a bus and then a few come along at once, so hopefully the same applies to my goals.
"The only disappointment was the goal didn't lead to a win, but wewere unlucky. The team played well, but we've got to learn to cut out mistakes from the goalkeeper right up to the strikers as that's what cost us.
"We created a lot of chances but didn't take them and you've got to learn to do that or you get punished."
Mangan believes the Wimbledon loss - Wrexham's first at home this season - is only a temporary setback, however.
"We've got nine new players this season and it takes time for everyone to blend in," he added. "The encouraging thing is we've not had the best of starts yet we are only three points off the play-off positions.
"Now would be a great time to go on a run so we can enter the Christmas period right up there in the table and hopefully still be in the FA Cup."
Mangan was asked if the current Wrexham squad is an improvement onlast season's crop.
"Only time will tell," he said. "At the end of the season we will find out, but we've brought in some really good players in the summerlike Dean Keates, Neil Ashton, Chris Blackburn and Marvin Andrews."
Mangan joined Wrexham from Forest Green Rovers last season in the January transfer window.
He arrived at the Racecourse with fine pedigree as in 2008/09 he was top scorer in the Blue Square Premier with 26 goals for Forest Green having had previous spells at Bury, Accrington Stanley and Blackpool.
Mangan made 23 appearances last season for the Dragons, scoring seven times, but he had failed to find the net in 11 starts this term before striking against Wimbledon.
Today's opponents Hayes and Yeading currently lie 17th in the table with four defeats in seven home matches on their record.
The club was formed as an amalgamation between Hayes and Yeading football clubs as recently as 2007 and this is just their second season in the Blue Square Bet Premier.
Last season they won 2-0 at the Racecourse, but Wrexham gained revenge on the final day of the campaign with a 1-0 victory at Church Road.
Mangan added: "If we can do the right things and press them high up the pitch we can repeat the win we got there last season. We're playing well and can go there with confidence."
Wrexham should have a full squad for the trip to Middlesex apart from the possible exclusion of midfielder Nat Knight-Percival, who is battling to overcome an ankle injury which kept him out of the Wimbledon encounter.. WREXHAM supporters group Mold and District Reds will hold their AGM this Monday at 8pm at the Ex-Servicemen's Club (BottomClub), Wrexham Street, Mold. All are welcome.
Hayes & Yeading v Wrexham, BSB Prem, today, 3pm HAYES & YEADING (from): Lennie, Ferrell, Wassmer, Cadmore, Bygrave, Brown, Hand, Yiadom, Holmes, Pritchard, Patulea, Enver-Marum, Malcolm, Buchanan, Appiah.
WREXHAM (probable): Maxwell, Obeng, Andrews, Sinclair, Ashton, Blackburn, Keates, Harris, Mangan, Taylor, Morrell. Subs: Shearer, Brown, Cieslewicz, Tolley, Pogba.
REFEREE: S Long. BETTING (bet365.com) Match odds: Hayes 6/4, Wrexham 8/5, Draw 9/4.
CAPTION(S):
Wrexham striker Andy Mangan celebrates his goal last Saturday against AFC Wimbledon
