DEAN KEATES has urged out-of-favour players to keep working hard and the Reds' boss admits he will have to utilise his squad during a busy schedule.

Wrexham returned to action following a near three week break by beating Dover 3-1 at The Racecourse on Saturday in the Reds' first outing of 2021.

Although captain Shaun Pearson was missing through injury, Keates had virtually a full-strength squad to choose from with Mark Carrington, Jamie Reckord, Jake Bickerstaff and Anthony Jeffrey among the players who weren't involved.

Next Tuesday's home match with Halifax is the first of five midweek fixtures in a row and with Wrexham also scheduled to play Saturday games, Keates knows all his players will be needed.

"It is a team game," said Keates.

"Yes, you are disappointed if you are not in the starting XI or not in the 16 but keep working hard.

"The games are going to come thick and fast.

"We have got a week's break going into Chesterfield on Saturday but after that we go Saturday-Tuesday for five weeks.

"It is going to be relentless so there are going to be changes."

Keates did not make any substitutions until stoppage time against Dover and the Reds' boss explained why.

"I thought we looked strong and I thought we looked fresh, we were playing well," said Keates.

"They changed their system to try to pin our wing-backs back, get the ball out to their full-backs and get the ball into the box.

"Our two centre-backs and James Horsfield, who filled in for us, did really well.

"Could I have changed it? Possibly. I thought one or two legs might start flagging but they didn't so that's why I didn't change it too early on in the second half."