DEAN KEATES insists Wrexham will roll their sleeves up and cope with the hand they’ve been dealt as best they can.

The Reds are preparing for the eighth game of the month on Saturday as Sutton United make their way to The Racecourse.

With the country in the midst of a pandemic, which affected Barnet’s FA Cup tie with Leiston, preparing for any match is proving tricky for Keates and his backroom staff.

“Things change all of the time,” said Keates. “We were looking at Barnet for example and were trying to second guess what they are trying to do.

“We watched them at the weekend and it was a different formation to all of the previous games they’ve played.

“It’s the new normal and it’s not nice, but it’s not going to change and we just have to get on with it - there are people out there who will suffer from it more than football clubs do.”

Keates’ Reds were forced to settle for a goalless draw at home to Barnet on Tuesday, a game which saw Theo Vassell and Reece Hall-Johnson, above, limp off late on with injury. Skipper Shaun Pearson, Mark Carrington, Paul Rutherford and Mark Carrington were absent for Wrexham, who are counting the cost of a hectic schedule.

“Games are coming thick and fast,” said Keates. “We are picking up niggles left, right and centre and we will have to take training down as much as we can to get players out on the pitch.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s the same for everyone.

“We will get them as ready as we can be, strap them up and get bodies that are available out there. We’ve lost some big personalities who make a big difference Monday to Friday in training with regards to how it’s conducted and keeping standards high. We are a bit threadbare but we will do our best to get them out there at the weekend.”

One plus was the return of winger Anthony Jeffrey after a three-game absence, the 26-year-old playing the full 90 minutes.

Keates added: “He got 20 minutes more than we thought and had planned. He’s been out and he’s been frustrated, but he came in and grew stronger as the game went on.”