BRAGGING rights and valuable league points are at stake on Saturday when the Jennings brothers come up against each other at The Racecourse.

James will line up for Wrexham in their huge promotion showdown with Tranmere Rovers who will include younger brother Connor in the side.

Considering both players are vastly experienced and proven in the National League, it is surprising that they have only gone head to head on four previous occasions.

Left-back James, aged 30 and four years older than Connor, a midfielder who can also play in attack, boasts an impressive record against his sibling and is yet to taste defeat.

James helped Cambridge United beat Stockport County, where Connor was on-loan, 4-1 in their first meeting in January 2013.

Both games were drawn in the 2015-16 season when James was in the colours of Forest Green Rovers and Connor turned out for Wrexham.

Now it is James who is plying his trade at The Racecourse and he was in the Wrexham side that beat Connor's Tranmere 1-0 at Prenton Park in September.

“This will be the fifth time we have played against each other,” said James.

“The first time was quite odd but you kind of get used to it now.

“The first time was when I was at Cambridge and Connor was a young lad on loan at Stockport County from Scunthorpe.

“Then two games for Forest Green when he was at Wrexham, and the game against each other earlier this season.

“No doubt all my family will be coming again, I will have to get a lot of tickets! I am looking forward to it.”

James fondly remembers getting the better of Connor and setting up an equaliser deep into injury time as Forest Green drew 2-2 at Wrexham in February 2016.

“It was Connor who was chasing me back, I chopped him and set up the goal so I gave him a bit of stick over that for quite a while,” said James.

The brothers faced each other a few months later when Gary Mills’ Reds finished the game with nine men as Connor and Blaine Hudson were both sent off.

Title-chasing Forest Green failed to take advantage and James rued a missed opportunity as the Gloucestershire club had to settle for a place in the play-offs.

“Connor and Blaine got sent off in the away game but it still finished 0-0,” said James.

“We had to win that game to have a chance of winning the league really because Cheltenham beat Grimsby the night before.

“We couldn’t even score against nine men and that kind of confirmed that we were going to be in the play-offs.”

But James was on the winning side as Wrexham beat Tranmere 1-0 in this season’s first encounter between the clubs.

Wrexham played the majority of the game with 10 men following Sam Wedgbury’s early dismissal but the Reds dug deep and secured three points thanks to Chris Holroyd’s second half strike.

A big crowd will be at The Racecourse for Saturday’s return fixture when fourth placed Wrexham will aim to complete the double over fifth-place Tranmere.

Both teams will have their eye on catching leaders Macclesfield Town and James wants to maintain the Reds’ promotion charge by getting one over Connor once again.

“We are all really excited for the game, there is nothing better than playing in front of a big crowd,” said Jennings.

“We are going for the double and get another one over my brother.

“He didn’t speak to me for a few days after the win at Tranmere so he will definitely be wanting to get revenge!

“Even though Wrexham his old club, when you play for someone you want to win every single game.”

Connor joined Wrexham in the summer of 2014 following his release by Scunthorpe United.

Having helped Reds reach the FA Trophy final in his first season, where North Ferriby United stunned Kevin Wilkin’s side with a penalty shoot-out victory, Connor was predominantly used as midfielder during the 2015-16 campaign under Mills.

It worked to good effect as Connor, installed as captain, finished as leading scorer with 14 goals and he picked up the Player of the Year award.

Wrexham missed out on the play-offs and Connor turned down a new contract in favour of signing for rivals Tranmere.

James, who made the switch to The Racecourse permanent in the summer following his release by Cheltenham, was suspended for the corresponding fixture last season during his loan spell with Wrexham.

But while there is friendly family rivalry on the game, James is focussed on the job in hand.

“I know Connor had a successful time at Wrexham and he loved it here,” said James.

“I think he picked up all the awards at the end of that season and he will be looking forward to it as well.

appy to get player of the month! Thanks to the lads & the fans... team effort! Now time to push on till end of season

“We have just got to stay professional, have the right mindset and play the game not the occasion because no doubt there will be a massive crowd, a big derby game which we love playing in as we have seen this season.

“We want to continue that and make sure we win.”

As in September’s match on the Wirral, James is unlikely to be marking Connor this weekend.

Connor has been lining up on the left-wing for Rovers and after netting six goals in four games, he was named the National League Player of the Month for December.

It means Reds’ right-back Kevin Roberts should be tasked with trying to keep Connor quiet.

“Hopefully he is on the other side against Robbo again like he was at Tranmere,” added James.

“The first couple of times I played against Connor I came up against him but he has been playing out on the left wing a lot this season.

“No doubt he will be on there again because he has found quite a bit of success from that position of late.

“We know all about Tranmere and we will be working really hard in the build up to it to try and nullify them and look at how to exploit them.”