COLE STOCKTON has vowed to play his part in getting Wrexham's promotion challenge back on track.

The striker has joined the Reds on loan from Tranmere Rovers until the end of the season and made his debut as a substitute in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at Bromley.

"I am delighted to sign," said Stockton.

"It is a massive club and as soon as I heard about the chance to come to Wrexham, I couldn't wait to get going and to try and help the club get promoted.

"We are in a good position and we have great players in that dressing room, players who have played at a higher level so there is no reason why we can't win promotion."

Stockton came through the youth system at Prenton Park and enjoyed a prolific 2016-17 campaign with Tranmere and while on loan at Morecambe.

That form caught the eye of Hearts where he spent the first half of the 2017-18 season before moving to Carlisle United, and he re-signed for League Two side Tranmere in August.

Eager to play regular football, Stockton had no qualms about stepping down to the National League.

"I am dropping down from League Two but I am the type of person who wants to play games," said Stockton.

"The league status doesn't really bother me, I just want to play football, enjoy my football and score goals.

"Scoring goals comes with enjoying football.

"I have just got to prove some people wrong now but it is proving for myself more than anything."

Stockton helped Tranmere reach the 2016-17 play-off final where the Wirral outfit were denied promotion after losing 3-1 to Forest Green Rovers but he hopes to go one better with Wrexham.

"We had a good season and I learnt a lot from it," said Stockton, who started the final defeat at Wembley.

"The play-off final is one place you never want to be when you are watching the other team lift the trophy.

"While I am here, I want to help Wrexham get there and lift the trophy."

The reversal at Bromley was Wrexham's third defeat in a row and Graham Barrow's fourth placed outfit are four points behind leaders Leyton Orient.

Wrexham were unable to turnaround a 2-0 half-time deficit but Stockton remains buoyant.

"It was always going to be hard," said Stockton

"Bromley is not an easy place to come but these are games where you have got to try and get something on the board off them.

"That is football. We have just got to dust ourselves down and go again, stick together and push on."

Stockton is one or two strikers recruited by Barrow during the last week with Jason Oswell, brought in on an 18-month deal from Morecambe, starting at Bromley.

Barrow is delighted that the duo, along with the fit-again Rekeil Pyke who made his return from injury at Hayes Lane, offer him more options in attack.

"In the defence of the two lads, we had one training session on Monday," said Barrow.

"It is good that they got some football under their belt and Rekeil as well.

"We now have the options, now we have got to find out the best blend out of the lot of them."