Paul Rawden is at the helm as Grantham Town draw with Coleshill Town in the Northern Premier League

Chairman Paul Rawden took interim charge of the Gingerbreads after the dismissal of Louis Bland 24 hours earlier as they played out a goalless draw against Coleshill Town on Tuesday night

With three new signings and two further changes to the side that lost to Racing Club Warwick on Saturday, Grantham battled their way to a point.

Rawden said: "It was a good point and an important one.

"We've got the worst or second worst goals against in the league, so it was important to get back to basics, be hard to beat and get some structure in there.

"It was a bit ugly to watch but we set up for a point and deserved it."

With AJ Adelekan returning to the club, signing from Cleethorpes Town, and Stamford allowing Jack Duffy and George Hobbins to sign on dual registration, the Gingerbreads had a stronger look about them.

Freddie Allen and Max Cook bolstered a midfield still missing a number of players through injury.

Grantham started the game in a lively mood.

Cook and Duffy combined early on at the near post but solid defending only resulted in a corner. From the flag kick, Sam Muggleton headed straight at Coleshill goalkeeper Tyrese Warmington.

Coleshill tried to put a long ball over the Gingerbreads defence and Bassit Mandey got behind Adelekan but shot wide of the target.

When the visitors tried the same again for Joe Palmer, the Grantham defence set out their stall for the night by blocking off the attack.

Midway through the first half, the Gingerbreads created a good chance.

Duffy and Luke Harris set up Louis Darlington behind the Coleshill defence and he hit a left foot shot across goal but it was wide of the far post.

Harris was involved again a few minutes later, this time playing a pass on for Cook. His shot was blocked for a corner from which Richard Black got a touch for Darlington but he lifted his shot too high.

Coleshill finished the first half stronger.

Full back Sam Tye got on the end of a long ball and delivered a dangerous cross but Grantham defended well to clear their lines.

A minute later, Nathan Kabeya took a different route, cutting inside on the edge of the Grantham penalty area before he drove a low shot well wide of the goal.

The Gingerbreads were slower starting in the second half, allowing the visitors to create early chances.

Harry Craven flicked on a near post ball a couple of minutes into the half and, at the far post, Tye hit the crossbar with a firm header that had Curtis Hall beaten.

A few minutes later, Taylor Carter-Byrne made a near post run to meet a corner. His shot flew across the face of the Grantham goal and found Ben Usher-Shipway but he couldn’t find the target.

Grantham began to look comfortable in the game, dominating at the back and gradually getting control in the centre of the park.

As the second half wore on, it was the Gingerbreads who looked more likely to break the deadlock.

Duffy gave Darlington another sight of goal just before the hour but Warmington saved the Grantham striker's shot well.

The Coleshill goalkeeper was tested twice more from distance and dealt with the threat comfortably.

Sam Edgington and Duffy both hit the target from outside the Coleshill penalty area but couldn't beat Warmington.

With the last chance of the game, Coleshill’s Usher-Shipway was frustrated when he made a shooting chance for himself but fired off-target.