KEVIN ROBERTS believes securing a play-off place will ease the pressure on Wrexham but the defender is still setting his sights on a top-three finish.

The Reds go into tomorrow's game against Barnet sitting fifth in the National League, six points behind leaders Leyton Orient with four games to go.

Bryan Hughes' side are nine points ahead of Ebbsfleet, the team immediately outside the top-seven, and could have a booked a play-off berth when the final whistle blows at The Hive.

But Roberts is still aiming high and although Wrexham are outsiders in the automatic promotion race, he is targeting a second or third placed finish so the Reds avoid a preliminary round play-off tie and advance to a home semi-final match.

"At the moment it looks like we will be challenging for second or third spot," said Roberts.

"Obviously we will never give the title up but it is looking a bit difficult at the minute.

"If we can finish second or third and have a one-legged home tie, with our home form it will be a massive positive and a boost for everyone.

"We will just keep trying to win games and consolidate our place in the play-offs.

"We aren't there yet but it is looking quite positive and once you are in there, hopefully us and the fans can relax a bit more and try and enjoy the end of the season."

Wrexham go into the game on the back of a 3-1 home win over relegated Braintree.

Roberts stressed the importance of picking up three points following a run of four defeats in five games which had seen the Reds lose ground at the summit.

But he was also pleased with the performance which Roberts feels can give the players confidence for the remaining games.

"It was vital to get a win," said Roberts. "We knew before the game that we needed the three points.

"Not that the performance didn't matter but the three points was the main thing.

"Even though Braintree had been relegated, I still think our performance was good and we controlled the game which will give us confidence. "We are at our best this season when we control games and not turn them into basketball matches so the lads were happy with that.

"When you have got confidence, the results come naturally so hopefully getting that win will boost us for the end of the season."

Barnet saw their eight-game unbeaten run, which included seven successive clean sheets, come to a surprise end on Tuesday as the mid-table Bees lost 2-1 at relegated Maidstone but Roberts is still expecting a difficult encounter.

"It is going to be a tight game and a hard place to go," said Roberts.

"They are getting to grips with the Conference and it happened to Orient last year; before Christmas they were really poor but towards the end of the season they were one of the form teams and Barnet look like they are going that way so it will be a tough game."

Wrexham will be without Jake Lawlor who dislocated his shoulder against Braintree and is expected to miss the rest of the season so Keiran Kennedy will line-up alongside Shaun Pearson in the heart of defence.

"A dislocated shoulder is not a good sign but fingers crossed he might just sneak back in before the end of the season," added Roberts.

"But Kieran is an unbelievable replacement anyway which shows the strength in depth that we have, especially in defence.

"I can fill in myself and Jenno can also play there but fingers cross Keiran and Shaun can stay fit because we are going to need them in the run-in."