SLOWLY and steadily we are securing our place in the National League North for next season. With a new-found stoic resolve at the back, we were able to grind out a point at AFC Telford United which we would have struggled to secure just a couple of months ago.

The performance is one that will be probably forgotten quickly but a big positive was the manner in which we stood firm in the face of considerable pressure from the home side.

Earlier in the season we used to go to games knowing we would concede. When the goals started going in there was little surprise. Even when we had the audacity of scoring first it felt inevitable we would concede goals and lose the advantage. Our defensive resolve was so consistently weak that at the time there was little sign of things turning around. Fortunately, they have and that reversal in fortunes has been quite spectacular. Six clean sheets in the last eight games feels almost miraculous. All of a sudden we look rock solid and while Telford had a lot of possession and threw a lot of balls in to our box, they weren’t allowed to create too many genuinely threatening chances.

The fascinating thing about the defensive turnaround is it has been done by a new group of defenders with the average age plummeting compared to the start of the season. It has also been marshalled by a manager who professed early in his tenure that he was happier winning games by the odd goal in many rather than grinding out clean sheets. Regardless, we have become rather miserly and it is good to see. Clean sheets keep us competitive in games. The North Ferriby match aside, the last few games have seen below-par performances and yet when you don’t concede goals it makes getting a positive result more possible. Saturday’s trip to Telford, like the trip to Tamworth a couple of weeks ago, would have almost certainly resulted in defeat earlier in the season. Instead we have a two more crucial points towards retaining our league position.

A big part of that success has been a relatively settled back line. We have a goalkeeper who looks unbeatable and in front of him the defenders look to have formed a really good cohesive unit. Prior to this season our defence was full of long-standing players who have served the club magnificently but in reality it needed fresh blood, something which was neglected in the summer. Tommy Wright has been quite adept in remoulding it. New fullbacks Luke Trotman and Ben O’Hanlon have added much needed pace and energy to the back line. They can offer something going forward and look solid defensively. Meanwhile the partnership in the middle of the defence between Josh Heaton and Terry Galbraith has been nothing short of sensational. While it sounds like there is an increasing chance of Heaton moving on in the summer, his understudy Jack Vaulks has shown himself to be more than capable of stepping up and filling any potential void.

With the two full backs tied up for next season and Gailbraith showing he is well worth his position in the centre, all seems to be looking good for next season. As far as the defence is concerned, the biggest challenge facing Tommy Wright will probably be what he does with a number of other defenders who are contracted for next season. There will be some tough decisions to take, some which might not prove popular with the fans, but hopefully we can give Wright the full support he needs as he continues to reshape the squad.