DEAN KEATES will make changes for Saturday’s FA Trophy tie against Harrogate Town to give fringe players a chance.

Wrexham face the National League North high-flyers at The Racecourse in the first round of the competition.

The Reds go into the game on the back of a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Macclesfield Town but regardless of the result, Keates insists he always planned to switch things around.

That means Christian Dibble and Leo Smith, who haven’t featured in recent weeks, could come into the side with the likes of James Hurst, Jack Mackreth and Ntumba Massanka also starting.

“We have got players here who are going to need minutes,” said Keates. “There will be one or two changes, that was always in the back of my mind anyway regardless of the result at the weekend.

“There are one or two who have been on the outside of things that will need some minutes so it is an opportunity for them to come back in.”

The make-up of Keates’ side, and particularly the midfield, could be determined by the availability of Sam Wedgbury and Akil Wright.

They were absent at Moss Rose on Saturday through injury as Wrexham suffered their heaviest defeat of the season and Keates is keeping tabs on his midfield duo.

“Obviously it was enough to keep them out at the weekend, we will see how they go this week,” said Keates. “They are a massive part of the squad, we just didn’t think it was worth the risk with how the weather was and how the pitch was going to be, it would have made the injures worse.”

Despite Saturday’s defeat, third placed Wrexham are only two points behind leaders Macclesfield.

Keates, who skippered Wrexham to FA Trophy glory on the club’s first ever appearance at Wembley Stadium in the 2013 final against Grimsby Town, wants to beat Harrogate but he insists challenging for promotion is the main objective at The Racecourse.

“For the football club, the league has always been the priority,” said Keates. “It was disappointing at the weekend but what we have done over the course of the season when we have had a knock, we have got back up to it and got the reaction.

“All being well we will get that again on Saturday.”

The wintry weather has changed the way Wrexham prepare for the visit of Harrogate, but Keates isn’t complaining.

“It is what it is, you can’t control the weather so you have got to deal with it,” added Keates.

“You have things on the back-burner just in case, stuff that you look at and what your options are especially coming into the winter period of what you can cover your backs with.

“We can’t get on the pitches, they are under about five inches of snow so that affects us.

“We have to go onto the 4G so you look at what is in the area and how bad it is.

“Cefn Druids have helped us out in the past, there is the possibility of Airbus but they are still under so much snow themselves.

“We went indoors yesterday and all being well the weather changes over the next 48 hours as it is predicted to.”