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By RICHARD WILLIAMS

21 April 2008

NEIL ROBERTS has pledged his future to home-town club Wrexham – if awarded a new contract – regardless of what division the Reds are in next season.

Roberts' goal 13 minutes from time secured rock bottom Wrexham a 1-0 win against Notts County at The Racecourse on Saturday, keeping alive the Reds' faint hopes of avoiding relegation.

Victory means Wrexham are six points adrift of safety with just three matches remaining, although they do have a game in hand on third bottom Dagenham and Redbridge, and nearest rivals Mansfield, who are the other side in the drop zone and with a five point advantage over the Reds.

And Roberts, who returned to attack having mainly operated in midfield under Brian Little, is hoping to be offered a new deal by the Reds' boss to extend his stay at home-town club Wrexham.

"I would like to think that the manager knows me anyway and he knows me as a person," said Roberts. "Whatever happens, happens. It will take care of itself.

"If I don't get a contract here, I will walk away and wish the club and the fans all the best. That's how it is – that is football.

"Obviously I want to stay and fight for the cause, but we will have to see what happens.

"There is no doubt whatsoever I want to stay regardless of what division we are in."

Wrexham's game in hand on their relegation rivals is against promotion chasing Hereford United at Edgar Street tomorrow, and Roberts is targeting another three points against the third place Bulls, although he knows it won't be easy.

"We have been saying all week that it is not over yet. We have just got to keep going," said Roberts.

"Whether we play good or bad, it doesn't matter – we have just got to get results.

"It doesn't matter about performances, we have just got to win.

"It is going to be a really tough game tomorrow because Hereford are flying. We have got to go there and cause an upset.

"The Shrewsbury defeat was a massive kick in the teeth more than anything, and the manner in which we lost, but we have just got to keep going."

Roberts was delighted to grab an eighth goal of the season against County, themselves not out of trouble, but said winning was all that mattered: "We knew going into the game that we had to win.

"We probably cancelled each other out first half and then second half we stood strong, defended well, and then luckily for me the chance has come along.

"It was nice for me to score, but I am not bothered if I score, someone else scores, or if it is an own goal, as long as we win."

Little made six changes to the side at the weekend, opting to give younger players a chance in place of some more senior professionals.

Roberts, one of the few who came through last weekend's 3-0 defeat at Shrewsbury with any credit, was one of the experienced players to keep his place, and the former Wales international admitted making wholesale changes had not been a tough decision for Little to make.

"It has been one of those seasons where I don't think you can say it's a big decision to make for the gaffer because at the end of the day he wants to see how players handle it," added Roberts.

"You have got to be able to go to places like Hereford, step up to the mark and be able to play against them.

"I don't see it as a massive decision for him to be honest.

"It is always nice to see young lads come through and get their chance.

We are a club that has got to produce talent through the youth system.

"And it is nice for the young lads to come in and experience being on a winning side."