DEAN KEATES admits it will be a blow being without "old-school centre-back" and "leader" Fiacre Kelleher for the first time this season when Wrexham face Bromley at The Racecourse on Saturday.

The 25-year-old defender, who joined the Reds in the summer after leaving Macclesfield Town, has started all 29 league matches.

A string of impressive performances by Kelleher have helped Wrexham emerge as promotion contenders but he was sent off in the last outing against Eastleigh after being shown a second yellow card in the 2-2 draw and he will serve a one-match suspension this weekend.

Kelleher's eye-catching displays at the heart of the Reds' defence have not been lost on his manager.

"Fiacre is up there performance-wise," said Keates. "He is consistent and he is a leader within the changing room.

"He has come in and he has set standards. His performances are consistent and that is why I hold him in such high regard.

"We did well to get him into the football club. He had other opportunities in the league, it probably worked in our favour what unfortunately happened to Macclesfield and I managed to convince him to come and play his football here.

"As people can see, he is very much a throw-back to the old-school centre-back. He will put his head in where people will only put their feet.

"I can't speak highly enough of Fiacre."

Keates revealed that Kelleher was desperate to play in November's 1-0 win at Hartlepool despite picking up a training-ground injury.

"He doesn't even like missing out on training," said Keates. "We have patched him up at points this season and he has gone and performed.

"I spoke about it at Hartlepool that one player played with eight stitches. It was Fiacre.

"He had eight stitches in his shin from an accident in training but there was no qualms about him playing against Hartlepool.

"That is what his character is all about and he will be a big miss for us.

"We just have to adapt. It is a squad game and whoever comes in has to step up and take their opportunity."

Shaun Pearson, Tyler French and James Horsfield are in contention to replace Kelleher in the back three.

Pearson has been restricted to just three appearances this season because of a foot injury - he last played in the 2-0 defeat at Stockport on December 28 - but is back in full-training, although Keates admits the clash against play-off rivals Bromley could come too soon.

"Shaun is back in full training," said Keates. "We will see whether the weekend comes to soon.

"We have got Tyler who can come back in, there's James Horsfield so there are options in that position."

Keates is still smarting that Kelleher was shown a second yellow card when a similar foul by an Eastleigh player went unpunished.

"Do I believe the second one was a yellow card? Only if their player is yellow carded in the first half for the exact same incident," added Keates.

"He didn't so that is where I am questioning the inconsistency.

"You can see he loses his footing. It is an accident, it is not intentional, but he has deemed it a second yellow card and it is something we can't appeal."