DEAN KEATES is not surprised that Wrexham have gone from relegation candidates to promotion contenders in the space of 12 months.

The Reds played their last game of the 2019-20 National League season last March before the campaign was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Wrexham were battling to avoid slipping into the sixth tier at the time and when the league table was calculated using a Points Per Game method, Keates' side finished one point above the drop zone.

Fast forward a year and having rebuilt the squad over the summer, Keates' side are now battling it out at the top end of the table.

Wrexham go into tonight's game against lowly Barnet at The Hive sitting fifth in the standings, seven points behind leaders Torquay, with the Reds on course to clinch a play-off spot.

"We are in there and we are competing," said Keates.

"As I have said from day one, it all about the process from the beginning of the season to the end of the season.

"I believe in the group and the group is starting to believe even more so in themselves.

"It has been an improvement. Am I surprised by it? No, because there is confidence within our four walls with what we have got and what we set to achieve at the begging of the season, and we believe we are only going to get stronger.

"We are seven points off the top, we will just take each game as it is and run our own race.

"We will go to Barnet and do our best to win a football match."