Returning Evans looks for Dragons boost

Mar 22 2008 by Darren Devine, Western Mail

DRAGONS defender Gareth Evans believes his loan spell at non-League Tamworth has helped rejuvenate his Wrexham career.

Evans helped Blue Square North side Tamworth to five wins during his six-game spell at the club and believes he’s emerged a better player for the experience.

And the young centre-back is hoping his confident mood helps the Dragons in their quest for League Two survival after breaking back into the side with a substitute appearance against Wycombe a fortnight ago.

He said, “I thought I learnt quite a lot. The games are more competitive than playing reserve team football, because obviously the matches are more important with teams trying to get promotion.

“It got my confidence and match sharpness back, which obviously benefits me.”

Evans, right, and his team-mates today travel to an out-of-sorts Brentford side marooned in mid-table after losing six of their last eight contests.

The 21-year-old is hoping the fixture will be a chance for his team-mates to build on an upturn that has seen them win two of their last three league contests.

He said, “Hopefully, they’ll carry on their bad run against us, but we’re still going to treat it as we would any other game and give them the respect they deserve.

“But, hopefully, we’ll still come away with three points. It’s a big game and we need three points with the situation we’re in. All the lads are pretty confident we can go there and get the result we need.”

Evans believes his return to the Racecourse could not have gone better – he’s now forced his way up the pecking order ahead of experienced defenders such as Richard Hope and Shaun Pejic.

“I was surprised to be in the squad at Wycombe and to come on. I felt I did OK in that game, though it was obviously disappointing that we didn’t get a result (Wycombe won 2-1). But I was delighted to start against Bury and get the win.”

Boss Brian Little switched from a wing-back system to a 4-4-2 formation when the Dragons triumphed 2-1 over Bury last weekend and Evans believes his team-mates could prosper under this system.

“We need to win matches because we need three points instead of one so I guess 4-4-2 could be seen as more attacking because of two out-and-out wingers.

“It seems like a more attacking ploy, but then 5-3-2 can be productive and we’ve still been on a decent run of form with that system so I think either way we’re accustomed to both formations.

“It depends on which way the manager decides to play, but I think we can be successful with either one.”

For the Dragons, Neil Taylor (leg), Carl Tremarco and Neil Roberts (both ankle), Danny Sonner (achilles), Richard Hope (illness) and Jeff Whitley (knee) are all back in contention.