Steven Schumacher welcomed a first clean sheet since he took charge as Wanderers stood firm to secure what the boss hopes could be a key point come the end of the season, writes Pete Oliver.
Schumacher saw his side produce a battling display at high-flying Wrexham to extend their unbeaten run to four league games in a tight 0-0 draw.
It wasn’t always easy on the eye but the Whites showed a mean streak to leave north Wales with some reward and still firmly in touch with the play-off places thanks just to a second clean sheet since the end of December.
“It wasn't the prettiest game of football we'll ever see,” Schumacher admitted after his side’s three-match winning run came to an end. “We didn't pass the ball probably as well as we would like to, but it was a difficult game.
“We’ve seen Wrexham do that here, they're really aggressive and they drag you into a bit of a fight. Credit to our players for standing up to that fight and competing and putting the bodies on the line to earn what might be a really good point come the end of the season.
“It's something that we spoke about through the week, that we don't want to keep conceding the first goal. We don't want to have to score two goals in every game to win it.
“So, being defensively sound, being organised, trying to stop balls coming into our box as easily as they do and, when it does get in the box, defending it, we've worked on it a lot this week and a lot since we've been here.
“I don't remember Luke actually making a big save so, as a unit, that shows that we're defending and we're doing something relatively well. They've missed a couple of big chances, we can't get away from that fact. Their number six, Tom O’Connor, should have scored, but we missed a couple of chances as well. So it's one of them, we take it and we move on.”
Wrexham defender O’Connor had the best opening of the game and then curled an injury-time free-kick inches wide.
But the only save of the game came from Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo to deny Aaron Collins, while returning forward Carlos Mendes Gomes could also have won it for the Whites.
The Whites have now lost just once in the league since Schumacher came in a month ago and remain in good form going into Tuesday night’s home encounter against table-topping Birmingham City.
“It's set up Tuesday night now for a real big game again. We're going up against a team who are currently the best team in the division,” the head coach added. “We want to go in there and try and get a result, be positive and make sure that we don't make it an easy place to come.
“Birmingham are going to bring huge support so we need to make sure that the place is rocking for us, because if the players show the effort that they did today and show a little bit more quality with the ball, then we'll be fine and we'll be able to get a result in that one as well.
“The fans definitely appreciated it today. It wasn't nice and they won't remember it forever. But they're going home with something to show for the lads' efforts so that's all good.”
Watch the full post-match interview from the head coach on Wanderers TV