DEAN KEATES understands fans’ frustration and he expects criticism following Wrexham’s dreadful run of form.

The Reds crashed out of the FA Cup as they were thrashed 4-0 by National League rivals Solihull Moors in Saturday’s fourth qualifying round tie at Damson Park.

Although Wrexham only trailed 1-0 at the break, they conceded three goals in the second half and have now suffered three successive defeats, conceding nine goals in the process.

Eight of those have come in the last two matches and disgruntled supporters have expressed their dismay at recent results, prompting Keates, who will be hoping for a reaction at home to Barnet tomorrow night, to say: “I fully expect it and the group fully expect it.

“The football club deserves better and the supporters deserve better but we have to take the rough with the smooth; you take the compliments and now you have to take the criticism and it wasn’t good enough.

“There were periods in the game when we have got control where we have to do better for ourselves and make the correct decisions but one or two looked a little bit jaded towards the end and mentally we have to make sure we are bang at it and ready for Tuesday night.”

Keates, who returned to The Racecourse hotseat for a second spell last October, accepts he is in the firing line as manager.

“I take my full share of the blame,” said Keates.

“I have got big enough shoulders, I have been in the game long enough.

“The buck stops with me and when the players cross the white line, you put your faith in them making the right decisions.

“We got punished for wrong decisions.”

When asked whether there is added pressure on winning against Barnet, Keates, who has seen his side beaten in their last two league outings by teams who started the game sitting bottom of the National League, added: “There is pressure to win every single football match at this football club.

“It is the expectation that we have to go and win games. It comes with the club.

“Every game is different, no-one has got any divine right to go and beat anybody.

“We got beat by Maidenhead, they beat Notts County, we got beat by Wealdstone and they went and beat Chesterfield.

“Three of the bigger teams, with ourselves with those two, that expectation fan-wise that they should be beating the Maidenhead’s and Wealdstone’s doesn’t always happen in this division.

“We have to make sure that we go out there on Tuesday night and there is a shift put in, and on the back end of us starting right and putting a shift in, we have picked up points.”

When Wrexham triumphed 1-0 at Yeovil a fortnight ago the Reds had won twice in three games at the start of a 13th season in non-league but they have now suffered a hat-trick of defeats.

Keates is just glad the barren run has not come at a crucial stage of the season and with 39 league games left to play, he is optimistic the tide will turn.

“Within two weeks, football learns you harsh lessons,” added Keates.

“We have gone from a team in the 90th minute absolutely breaking in numbers on the front foot and flying; two weeks later, we are on the back end of three defeats conceding nine goals.

“We have got to find our way. It has happened now and it has happened early, we are not talking about the business end of the season.

“We will regroup and we have got plenty of games and plenty of points to chip away at.

"We have to go and get some on Tuesday now.”