KEVIN ROBERTS insists Wrexham's defence will not rest on their laurels after setting a new club record last season.

The Reds kept 22 shut-outs in 46 National League games with Roberts, fellow full-back James Jennings and centre-back duo Shaun Pearson and Manny Smith forming the back four for the majority of the campaign.

Roberts is not taking his place in the team for granted under new manager Sam Ricketts and says whoever plays must aim to keep another impressive amount of shut-outs when Wrexham kick-off an 11th season in non-league.

"As much as you want to improve, 22 would be a big ask but it is not impossible as we showed last season," said Roberts.

"That has got to be the target again, but 20 would be a really good return and it always gives you a chance.

"The back four did well but the gaffer might have other ideas to bring people to the club which is what you want.

"You don't want to be comfortable, you want competition and we did have people like David Raven and Mark Carrington who filled in last season and did well."

Wrexham's problem last season was at the other end with the Reds only scoring 49 league goals.

Ricketts is eager to bring in more firepower but Roberts says the strikers also need better service.

"We never scored enough goals as a team and did not create enough chances for the strikers," said Roberts.

"That comes from the back and the midfielders, we weren't creative enough as a team.

"The gaffer will address that so we put two or three goals past teams rather than hang onto one goal leads."

Wrexham's promotion challenge faded following the departure of manager Dean Keates in March with the Reds only winning one of their final nine games.

Having been in the play-offs for the majority of the campaign, Roberts insists Wrexham be looking to put that behind them in 2018-19 and launch a fresh promotion push.

"That is the aim," said Roberts. "We had a blip towards the end and weren't in the play-offs the final two games.

"It is not as though we were in and out of the play-offs, we were in there nearly all season and proved how good a team we were.

"We had a bad end, we have just got to try and stay in there all year and see it through."

Roberts, who made 39 league appearances after joining from Halifax Town last summer, insists there will be no play-off hangover.

"I don't think there will be," said Roberts. "We have still got a good bunch of players and you have to remember that was our first year together.

"It was a new squad, about 14 players came in, and we know each other better.

"This is our second year, the core of the squad is still together and I am sure the gaffer will bring in good players to freshen it up.

"It was obviously a disappointing end to the season but it is time to forget about that and look to next season. Put right where we went wrong and learn from it."

Roberts welcomed the appointment of former Wales international Ricketts and hopes he makes the same impact as Keates who was also a rookie manager when he took over at The Racecourse.

"It looks like a good ambitious appointment," added Roberts.

"A new manager in his first job, they seem to have gone the same way as the last manager.

"It worked with Dean who did a really job so hopefully the same will happen."