Wrexham win appeal against Dave Artell ban ahead of play-offs

Defender Dave Artell has been cleared to play in Wrexham's Conference Premier play-off semi-final first leg against Kidderminster on Tuesday.

Artell received a straight red card in the last minute of Saturday's defeat against Mansfield at Field Mill.

A Football Association of Wales disciplinary panel studied written and DVD evidence and decided that Artell's sending off was sufficient punishment.

That means the 32-year-old escapes what is normally a three-match ban.

Wrexham player-manager Andy Morrell had felt that Artell's sending off, in a game in which Mansfield secured the Conference Premier title, was harsh.

The Welsh club will be without another centre-half, Chris Westwood, for the home leg against Kidderminster Harriers.

Westwood remains sidelined with a calf injury while Morrell also has doubts over a number of other key players.

Martin Riley, Dean Keates, Jay Harris and Joe Clarke are doubtful while Danny Wright and Kevin Thornton are out for the season.

Wrexham host Harriers, who finished second in the Blue Square Bet Premier, at the Racecourse on Tuesday with the second leg at Aggborough on Sunday.

"The whole season comes down to two games and if you come through those two then it's down to one game," Morrell said.

"[There's a] massive effort needed by everybody over the next week to get us through to Wembley."