DEAN KEATES has urged his three new signings to make the most of their unexpected opportunity and play their part in Wrexham securing a play-off spot.

Attacking trio Gold Omotayo, Chris Sang and Keanu Marsh-Brown trained with the Reds last week and have joined on non-contract terms after impressing Keates.

Left short of strike options with top scorer Kwame Thomas facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after rupturing an Achilles' in training and Jordan Ponticelli still missing with a hamstring problem, Keates was only able to sign free agents due to Wrexham being a Welsh club.

Tall Swiss striker Omotayo and Guyanan winger Marsh-Brown were both with Gloucester City most recently, while Sang - another frontman - last played for Barnsley under 23s.

Marsh-Brown, a Guyana international and part of their squad for their World Cup qualifiers last month, started Saturday's home game against high-flying Stockport County but Wrexham's poor run continued as they went down 3-0 and suffered a third successive defeat to leave the eighth placed Reds three points away from the top seven with 10 games to go.

Omotayo came off the bench in the second half while Sang was an unused substitute, and Keates is happy with the calibre of players he was able to bring in to compete with Dior Angus who was the only fit striker at the club.

"We needed attacking bodies on the back end of Kwame and JP picking up a twinge," said Keates.

"For the group of players that is available to us, they are the best ones I could have got in.

"They have played minutes so they have got minutes under them, especially Keanu who has not long come back from international duty where I think he played 70 and 90 minutes.

"They are as close to minutes as we could get - other options that I had hadn't played any minutes at all - we weighed up the options and they were the best that's available to us.

"They will have an impact for us going forward the next 10 games and play their part."

Keates admits the three players probably weren't expecting to have the chance to join a club challenging for promotion from the National League and he hopes they make the most of it.

"It is an opportunity for them," said Keates. "It is a great football club to be at and it is a progressive football club.

"It is an opportunity that has come up on the back end of the situation we are in and Covid etc.

"Those players were playing a level below us and they have been given an opportunity for them to come and grab it.

"They can freshen it up. They have got an opportunity that going back a couple of weeks, they may never have imagined they would be in this situation.

"We are a football club aiming to be in the mix at the end of the season.

"We are just outside it. We are disappointed with the last three games but we have got a quarter of the season left to go and things change."

Marsh-Brown helped Forest Green Rovers clinch promotion to the Football League after beating Tranmere 3-1 in the 2017 National League play-off final and he lasted 57 minutes before he was replaced by Omotayo who enjoyed a short stint with Halifax Town this season.

Keates' side made a bright start but former Wrexham striker Alex Reid's brace put Stockport 2-0 up by the 25th minute and ex-Reds midfielder John Rooney converted a second half penalty.

"I thought we looked the more capable team if I'm honest," Keates said about his side's start.

"But they are well drilled, they are organised and they are a good, robust team of men.

"There is a lot of experience in there and that showed in them vital moments."