JASON OSWELL hopes he can roll back the years to leave Wrexham fans - and his mum - with smiles on their faces.

Reds boss Dean Keates is set to rotate his playing options for Saturday's FA Trophy tie at Halifax Town, which leaves the door open for striker Oswell.

And the 27-year-old revealed that he received a timely boost from his mum earlier this week as he prepared for the trip to the Shay.

"My mum text me the other day reminding me that two years ago I scored a hat-trick for Stockport against Spennymoor," said Oswell. "She said about scoring another one this weekend, so we will see."

Next month marks a year at The Racecourse for Oswell, who has scored just three goals during what he describes as a "difficult" 11 months.

But Oswell, out of contract in the summer, isn't about to give up hope on starring for the Reds under Keates.

"It's probably not gone how I'd liked. I'd have anticipated scoring a goal a game - that's what you've got to think coming into a club," he said. "I would say I've given it my all up to now, I've got no regrets at all and I can look at myself in the mirror every day and say that I'm giving it the best shot I can.

"If that's not quite good enough here then that might be the case, but I will continue to train hard every day to try to help the team get to where they need to be.

"I will keep knocking on the door and pressuring the other lads until I get my chance again, and when that comes hopefully I will be able to score more goals and get on more of a roll."

Injuries have certainly hampered Oswell during his time at Wrexham, a stomach muscle the latest issue to have prevented him from challenging Bobby Grant for a place as the focal point in attack.

"I think in that block of games I played I was near to getting on a roll to be honest, I felt like myself," said Oswell of a 10-game run spread across Bryan Hughes' time as manager coming to an end and Keates' reign starting.

"It didn't quite happen, but I've still go full faith I can do that and I back my ability.

"I am not happy to sit on the bench and be a squad player, I will keep pushing the lads until I get another chance."

Wrexham's immediate focus is on trying to drag themselves out of the National League drop zone, but Oswell is relishing the chance to help the Reds make FA Trophy progress.

"I think the FA Trophy is a big opportunity for players," said Oswell, who reached the quarter-finals of the competition with Stockport in 2017/18, losing to eventual winners Brackley after a replay.

"It's a chance to play at Wembley if you get to the final and in the years you play football you won't get many opportunities like that.

"It's the one cup where you've got a realistic chance of getting to Wembley. The Scottish Challenge Cup was slightly different, but the FA Trophy is a good opportunity and we will be doing all we can to get there.

"The lads that come in have something to prove as well. Maybe they haven't had much game time in recent weeks, so it's a chance to put a bit of pressure on the gaffer."

On whether that includes himself, Oswell continued: "I hope so. I'd like to get a run out and put in a good performance.

"I had a run of games up to when the gaffer came in, scored a few goals and felt like I put in a few good performances.

"That's football, it's time to build on that. You can't stay low in football and you can't get too high because things chance so quickly.

"I've got to stay balanced and put in the graft that I usually do."