CHRISTIAN DIBBLE admits he was "gutted" to lose his place in the Wrexham team but you won't find the goalkeeper sulking if he is dropped again for tomorrow's crunch clash with Stockport County at The Racecourse.

Dibble replaced injured first choice stopper Rob Lainton for the 2-0 win at King's Lynn on January 30 and he enjoyed a run in the side.

During his 12 games between the posts, Dibble kept six clean sheets and helped Wrexham move into the play-offs but he was omitted from the side by Reds' boss Dean Keates when Lainton was fully fit.

"I was disappointed. I was gutted really because I thought I was doing really well," said Dibble. "I was happy with how it went.

"But the gaffer made his decision. Rob is number one and that is fine.

"I can only push Rob and I will keep pushing.

"We are good friends and we are good team-mates; he will push me and I will push him.

"We are all going in the same direction at the end of the day."

After two matches back in goal, Lainton suffered a groin problem during the warm-up ahead of Monday's clash with Torquay United and Dibble was back in the team.

The 26-year-old, son of former Wales international Andy Dibble who helped Wrexham win promotion in the 2002-3 campaign, is waiting to see whether he keeps his place in the team for the visit of fourth placed Stockport.

"I enjoy playing football when I can and it is not an easy life being a number two goalkeeper," said Dibble.

"But when I am called upon, I will be ready. That is all I can do.

"Regardless of whether Rob is fit to face Stockport, I will do my best to motivate the lads on or off the pitch and do well."

On his late inclusion against Torquay, Dibble added: "I am always ready mentally to step in but it can be hard at 2.50pm!

"But it has never affected me. I am always confident.

"I just take every game as it comes and if I am called on to play, I will give 100 per cent for the team.

Dibble started the 2019-20 campaign in the side with Lainton injured but after making a good start, errors crept in and he lost his place when the Reds' number one was fit.

Called upon earlier this season when Lainton was forced off with a head injury in November's 1-1 draw at Bromley, Dibble produced a man of the match performance and once again proved to be an able deputy during his recent run in the side.

When asked whether he feels he has proved people wrong, Dibble added: "Definitely.

"I don't think last season was as bad as people make out.

"There were a few games where I made a mistake but all the goalkeepers in the world make a mistake.

"I think I have played well in the games I have played.

"I just want to show what I can do when I play. I want to show the fans that I am good enough to play for Wrexham and I totally think I am.

"I have just got to keep going and whether I am playing or not, just keep level headed and see what the gaffer says tomorrow."

Dibble was disappointed not to mark his return to the side with at least a point as Torquay snatched a last-gasp victory, with the Gulls scoring the only goal in the third minute of stoppage time to inflict a second successive 1-0 defeat on Wrexham over the Easter period.

"I made a few saves but it was annoying to concede at the end," said Dibble.

"I don't think they really deserved to snatch a goal like that from a second phase of play into the box.

"It took a ricochet and has gone through my legs.

"It is one of those things, we have just got to try and get a win against Stockport."

Wrexham dropped out of the play-offs after suffering back-to-back defeats but with 11 matches remaining, Dibble refused to press the panic button and says there is still a lot to play for.

"There are 11 games left, we don't have to panic about it," said Dibble.

"We are eighth, we go and win two or three games on the bounce and we are back up there again.

"We have just got to stay positive.

"Torquay are a good side but we have hit the bar, we hit the post, and we have created chances.

"We created chances on Friday and I thought we deserved more out of the Notts County game with how we played early on.

"We are disappointed but we need to move onto tomorrow and straight from the first whistle, get at Stockport."