GRAHAM BARROW doesn't want Wrexham's promotion challenge to fade away while he is at the helm.

Sam Ricketts, told to stay away from Saturday's FA Cup clash against Newport County, was confirmed as Shrewsbury Town's new boss on Monday.

Barrow, his assistant, took the team for the second round tie, which ended in a goalless draw, and has been made interim manager while the club decides on Ricketts' successor.

Wrexham's promotion bid fell away during the run-in last season when Dean Keates left to take charge of hometown club Walsall in March and Barrow doesn't want the same thing to happen with the Reds, who face Eastleigh at The Racecourse, among the National League frontrunners.

"The main concern is obviously the club and the players," said Barrow, who has signed a contract extension keeping him at Wrexham until the end of the 2020-21 season.

"The players then have to go out and do a job which they did on Saturday night.

"The players look in good spirits, the game was almost a relief to them after all the who-ha.

"Now we have to move on to Eastleigh. The aim now is to win a league game as soon we can.

"All I am concerned about is not letting it slide too much before the next manager comes in.

"I don't want anything to happen like what happened when Dean Keates left. If we can get the win then all well and good."

Fourth placed Wrexham are without a win in three league games, taking two points from a possible nine, and come up against an in-form Eastleigh side who have improved vastly since they lost 3-1 to the Reds in August's reverse fixture.

But Barrow is focused on Wrexham and starting to find some form.

"Eastleigh was probably one of our better away performances," said Barrow.

"They have changed their manager since then, Eastleigh have obviously been a big club in this league because of finances and we are expecting a tough game.

"But we have just got to concentrate on ourselves. We are not where we are in the league for nothing, it is too far in the season and we are there justifiably.

"But I looked at the form guide in the paper and it is not good enough so we really have to pick it up."