KEVIN ROBERTS  wants to make sure he doesn’t get any stick from the home crowd when the full-time whistle blows tonight.

The defender returns to The Shay for the first time since leaving Halifax Town to join Wrexham in the summer.

Halifax, captained by Roberts, were promoted last May via the National League North play-offs last season but the 28-year-old is focussed on trying to get one over his former club this evening.

“I am just treating it the same as any other game,” said Roberts. “Maybe you want to win a little bit more because you know a few faces there so you will get a bit of stick after the game. I would rather it is me giving the stick!

“I want to win every game but you can rub it in a bit more to a few friends.

“The most important thing is just going there and getting the three points.”

Halifax have made a good start to the season, although the Shaymen go into tonight’s game on the back of Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Ebbsfleet United which meant they dropped to 10th position.

Roberts knows Halifax, who have former Wrexham centre-back Martin Riley in their ranks, cannot be taken lightly.

“I am a Wrexham player and I want to take the points off Halifax to climb the table,” said Halifax.

“Although they got beat on Saturday they are doing well for a part-time club, the Conference is full of full-time clubs.

“They play one way and they do it well. They have got a good bunch of lads there so it doesn’t surprise me.”

Wrexham were held to a 1-1 draw by Sutton United on Saturday with the U’s scoring an injury time equaliser.

Despite failing to win, Wrexham are unbeaten in eight games and just two points behind new leaders Dover Athletic in sixth place, and Roberts remains upbeat.

“It was a sucker punch in the 90th minute,” said Roberts. “We limited them to shots outside the box.

“One went over the bar from a ridiculous angle which would have been an unbelievable goal if that had gone in and Luke Coddington had to make a save as well.

“The type of team they are and the relentless pressure, I thought we did well and sometimes you have just got to hold your hands up when a player does that and scores a goal like that.”

Roberts, who has also played for Chester City and Cambridge United, added: “But that is eight games unbeaten and we are still looking pretty solid.

“Not many teams are cutting us open and we are creating chances now.

“Ntumba Massanka was unlucky not to score against Sutton, he came on and he could have had a hat-trick.

“Hopefully they go in the back of the net against Halifax.”

Right-back Roberts impressed against Sutton and was a contender for the man of the match award.

“I think the fans like to see a few tackles going in,” said Roberts. “Sometimes you have got to lunge in and I think the fans like that bit of passion.”