DEAN KEATES spoke of his disappointment at having to postpone Saturday's home game against Sutton but the Reds' boss insists the well-being of staff and players comes first.

The National League encounter was called off on Friday morning after it was announced that five players from within The Racecourse had tested positive for COVID-19.

As a precaution, all players and staff who travelled by coach to Solihull Moors for last Saturday’s 4-0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round defeat have got to self-isolate.

Only one of the players who has since tested positive played in Tuesday goalless draw against Barnet.

"We had a couple of cases and it completely wiped us out," said Keates.

"It is disappointing but everybody's health and welfare is the most important thing.

"The lads are fit, young and healthy so I can't see no issues with it going further forward and everyone comes through the isolation period, and the lads who have got this disease, it passes by."

Wrexham don't have a game this weekend as a result of the cup exit with the Reds due to return to league action at Weymouth on Saturday November 14.

Keates is hoping players affected by coronavirus will have made full recoveries and will be able to return to training with their team-mates next Monday when Wrexham can begin preparing for the trip to the Bob Lucas Stadium.

"We have all got to self isolate," said Keates.

"With travelling down to Solihull on the coach as a group, that squad are the ones under isolation.

"We have got a small group who didn't travel and weren't involved that weekend so we are just waiting on a bit of clarification on whether they need to isolate.

"They didn't spend too much time within the group and weren't on the coach journey.

"But the vast majority of the squad are in isolation and we will all be back in the Monday leading up to Weymouth.

"All being well no-one else goes down and we will be looking at reporting back for training on November 9."

Wrexham ended a run of three successive defeats by drawing with Barnet.

Although postponing Saturday's game was the correct decision, Keates was looking forward to building on the draw by hopefully registering victory against Sutton.

"We want to win every single football match we go into," added Keates.

"It wasn't to be against Barnet but it was an intervention on the three defeats which we needed to stop.

"It was a clean sheet on the back end of conceding eight in the previous two games; the last 10 minutes were a bit scary and they sniffed a bit of blood when we lost two of the back four and we had to put players in different positions.

"That got their tails up but even at that point we were fairly confident and we got the clean sheet.

"We were looking to back that up on Saturday but Covid put paid to that."