STRIKER Brett Ormerod is keeping his fingers crossed that he makes a quick recovery after sustaining a groin injury against Telford United on New Year’s Day.
Ormerod was forced off in the 55th minute of the cross-border derby at The New Bucks Head which ended in a 2-0 victory for Wrexham and the 36-year-old was due to have the injury assessed yesterday by physio Ritson Lloyd.
And although he could be doubtful for tomorrow’s top of the table clash against Newport County, Ormerod remains hopeful he will be back sooner rather than later.
“It is a bit sore, I might have strained it but hopefully not too bad,” said Ormerod.
“The way I am feeling I don’t think I will be fit for Newport but it is too early to say.
“Jay Harris played the ball to me, I set off running and took three or four strides before I felt it twinge.
“It made me pull up. At first I thought I could start running again but I felt it twinge again and had to come off.
“If I stayed on I was only going to make it worse and do more damage but I was gutted.”
Ormerod admits picking up the injury couldn’t have come at a worse time, with the former Blackpool and Southampton frontman scoring four times in the last five games to take his tally for the season to six goals.
“It is disappointing because things are starting to go for us,” said Ormerod. “We are winning games and on a personal note, I am scoring.
“Even though it was a fantastic win for us at Telford, personally it was not a nice way to start the year.
“The disappointing thing if it keeps me out is I have managed to get back into the team and have scored a few goals, and we are playing well as a team.”
A brace in the 4-1 win over Telford on Boxing Day and another strike in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Tamworth earned Ormerod the man of the match award in both games but the veteran striker insists trying to clinch promotion comes before personal accolades.
“I have always said that winning games is the most important thing,” said Ormerod.
“It is always nice to score but if I get a goal and we lose 3-1, it takes the shine off it.
“I came here to help Wrexham get promotion and that is still the main objective.
Obviously I want to score as many as I can but if we win 3-0 and I set up three goals, I will take that just as much.”
Tuesday’s victory over Telford enabled Wrexham to climb up to second position in the table, just one point behind leaders Grimsby Town.
Wrexham head to Newport, one point and one place behind the Reds with a game in hand, unbeaten in three matches and Ormerod is delighted with the response since losing 1-0 at Grimsby on December 21.
“It is a tough league and one thing about us this season is we do bounce back after a defeat,” said Ormerod.
“We lost at Grimsby but I think we deserved at least a point. If it wasn’t going to be a draw it was always going to be decided by the odd goal and they got it.”
- Wrexham’s game against Dart-ford at Princes Park has been brought forward 24 hours at the request of Kent Police and will now take place on Friday, March 8 (7.45pm).