WREXHAM suffered a second defeat of the season on Monday but manager Dean Keates believes his side should not have lost either of those two matches.

The Reds, beaten 1-0 at Solihull Moors last Tuesday, went down by the same scoreline against Maidenhead United at The Racecourse on Monday.

Maidenhead arrived in north Wales sitting bottom of the National League after losing their opening three games but the Magpies took a first half lead.

Wrexham created a number of chances after the interval but didn't take them and Keates felt his side did enough to get something out of the contest.

"The two defeats shouldn't be defeats," said Keates.

"Bare minimum they should be 0-0s but we had chances and we haven't taken them.

"If you don't take your chances, you always run the risk of the opposition breaking away and catching you.

"It happened at Solihull from a set-play and it happened against Maidenhead from our phase of play on the turnover, but we had enough chances to get something out of the game."

Wrexham midfielder Luke Young struck the crossbar with a 25-yard free-kick before Maidenhead scored the only goal as missed opportunities proved costly for the Reds in the second period.

"We are massively frustrated," said Keates.

"First half we didn't really create a lot of opportunities, we created a couple of half ones but didn't really take them, and got a blatant penalty (for handball) but the referee decides not to give it.

"Decisions like that change football matches and we got caught from our phase of play; they scored and it gave them something to hold onto.

"Second half we created some good chances and another possible handball but one or two things didn't go our way.

"We created two really good chances for Kwame (Thomas and JP (Jordan Ponticelli) and they didn't hit the target."

Ponticelli had a late goal ruled out for offside and Keates added: "I've seen it back and he was offside so I have got no qualms on that."

Victory would have taken Wrexham joint top of the table and Keates insists it was disappointing to lose regardless of where Maidenhead were in the table at the start of play.

"I don't look at the league table at the minute," said Keates.

"Whether they are bottom or not, I watched their last three games and they should have more points.

"It is frustrating, whether they are bottom of the league or not we don't want to be losing football matches and we need to be better."

Wrexham have won their other two games - the Reds added to the 2-1 opening day victory over Boreham Wood by securing a superb 1-0 success at Yeovil on Saturday - and Keates knows his side let their standards drop against Maidenhead.

"They are frustrated but we said to them, you have got to keep your chin up," added Keates. "We have got to take the rough with the smooth.

"We had a good result at the weekend and we had a massive let-down for ourselves from our own standards against Maidenhead.

"We have high standards and we want to win football matches; we are at home and we want this to be a fortress, and we have let that go."