Ian Allinson was wanting to focus on the positives after St Albans City drew 0-0 against Hungerford Town – but was well aware that his side were hanging on towards the end of the National League South game at Clarence Park.
They had started brightly and dominated the opening 20 minutes but crucially they didn’t score and the longer the match went on, the visiting Crusaders looked the more likely to claim the three points.
“I’ll take the point the way the second half panned out,” said the Saints boss. “They were the much better team. They have created all the chances and we have had to hang on in there.
“But as I’ve said before, this time last year we would have lost so we have to take the positives.
“We’ve kept another clean sheet and we’re still unbeaten.
“The first 20 minutes were probably the best we’ve played all season in terms of the way we passed the ball.
“We were very good but full credit to them. They went and put a full press on us and we got embroiled with a couple of the challenges and some of the referee’s decisions and that knocked our pattern of play.
“We struggled to get hold of the ball after that. We didn’t keep it, we didn’t pass it and we were second best at times.”
Craig Fasanmade and Ryan Seager were the main threats for Hungerford who arrived in Hertfordshire lying second in the table.
And the former, a lively and quick forward, seemed to have a running battle with Saints keeper Michael Johnson for most of the second half.
Allinson said: “It’s pleasing we have kept a clean sheet in a game like that. We had to dig deep.
“Michael has had to make three of four saves but they weren’t spectacular saves, they were all from angles.
“We’ve defended really well. They stepped up their performance and we got a bit fragile but you have to stick in there.
“We had three shots late on from a corner, one got cleared off the line, and if one of those goes in makes it a different result.
“Full credit to the players because they hung in there and they could have thrown the towel in during those last 20 minutes.
“They didn’t and sometimes you have to battle for a result but I was quite pleased when the final whistle went.”
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