Boss Rob Smith declared himself happy with a battling performance by AFC Telford United, insisting: “We’re improving all the time.”

The Bucks held big spending Fleetwood Town to a 0-0 draw at the New Bucks Head on Saturday.

That was their second consecutive clean sheet, following on from the 2-0 win over Alfreton last Tuesday.

Smith was happy with his side’s determined effort, and believes they can now start climbing the Blue Square North – starting with Wednesday evening’s trip to Corby.

“We need to take it on and go and get three points on Wednesday,” he said.

“I think things are improving. As long as we keep chipping away and picking up the points we’ll be happy. If, come February, we are in or around the play-offs, then who knows.”

Smith rested some of his more creative players, with recent signings Sean Evans and Andre Gray on the bench.

He instead named a combative midfield marshalled by Carl Rodgers and Chris Nurse, and believes the decision was vindicated by the way they stopped a free-scoring Fleetwood side from breaking through.

“It wasn’t a great spectacle but it was a decent, hard-fought game between two very good sides,” he added.

“Our defence deserves credit. They’re a difficult team to play against – they can go and buy anyone they want to – and our boys did well to compete with them.

“Our plan was to pick a strong, physical side and get into them. We didn’t want to give them any time on the ball because they’d scored 12 goals in their last two (league) games,” he added.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t create a little bit more, but we wanted to make it a scrap and it’s a decent point. We showed some real battling qualities.”

Telford will have to re-jig their side again for the trip to Corby, with midfielders Carl Rodgers and Jon Adams both suspended.