LEAMINGTON boss Paul Holleran feels his side is starting to show more belief after the Brakes held high-flying Chester to a goalless draw to extend their unbeaten run to four matches.
Holleran’s side recorded their first clean sheet since early January and halted promotion-chasing Chester’s four-game winning run in the process.
The game lacked quality throughout but Holleran was pleased to come away with a point and believes his players have a turned a corner in their fight to remain in the National League North.
Holleran said: “It was a difficult surface and a difficult afternoon, the game did lack quality but six weeks ago I’m not sure we would have kept that clean sheet.
“There’s a bit more steel in the team and a bit more belief at the moment, your concentration levels have to be exceptional against Chester.
“For us to keep a clean sheet is the biggest kind of plaudit I can give the players and to limit them to one chance in each half, we’ve had four or five big moments in the game, we’ll be disappointed with that.
“We contained them and still looked a threat, it’s another point, the clean sheet is a bonus for us, we had to work hard and dig in, there’s still a lot of work to do.
“We’re in a much better place than we were a month ago and we’re looking forward to the run in.”
The first half was bereft of chances as Chester’s Kurt Willoughby fired a low effort just past the post after Louis Hall misjudged a header back towards Brakes goalkeeper Ted Cann.
Leamington finished the half strongly as Dan Turner saw a goalbound effort blocked before Ollie Hulbert was denied by Harry Tyrer and Jack Lane powered a header narrowly over the crossbar.
And the Brakes went closest in the second period when Junior English’s shot was cleared off the line before Sam Perry blazed the loose ball over the crossbar.
Cann made two crucial saves to ensure the game remained goalless as he first pushed Iwan Murray’s driven shot over the bar before he then dove at full stretch to keep out Charlie Caton’s effort.
The result means Leamington sit 20th in the National League North table, three points clear of the relegation zone having played one game more than the team below them.
Leamington are next in action away at Farsley Celtic on Tuesday, March 14 with kick-off at 7.45pm at The Citadel.
