DEAN KEATES believes less than 90 points could clinch the title this season.

Lincoln City won automatic promotion to the Football League with 99 points last term while Crawley, Fleetwood and Cheltenham Town have all reached the century mark to finish top since Wrexham were relegated to the fifth tier in 2008.

This year’s winning figure is set to be much lower with a number of teams in contention.

Current leaders Macclesfield Town have 59 points with 14 games to go while third placed Wrexham are on 57 and only have 13 games remaining.

“You have been looking around the 100 point mark but it is not going to be anywhere near that,” said Keates.

“Give or take, you might be looking at less than 90 this season.

“What will be, will be. We are undefeated in nine games, although we would liked to have turned one or two draws into wins.”

Wrexham continue their title challenge against Sutton tomorrow.

Sutton, who sit fourth, have a 3G pitch so Keates has held training sessions on the artificial playing surface at Airbus this week, and he hopes practice makes perfect.

“We prepare right as we do every single week,” said Keates.

“We have utilised the fact that there are teams in the area we can go to and train.

“All we can do is prepare ourselves as good as we can to go and play on it so all being well we can put on a performance and get three points.”

Wrexham have drawn six times in their nine game unbeaten run, the latest a 1-1 stalemate with lowly Halifax on Saturday, but Keates remains upbeat.

“We were at home, we would liked to have won but we didn’t,” added Keates. 

“Their goal is a yard offside, everybody can see it, but the only person who couldn’t was the referee.

“We were disappointed but we are unbeaten in nine games which is a positive.

“Some of the draws you’d hoped to have been wins but we go to Sutton in decent enough form.”