Reaction from Spalding United manager Jimmy Dean after their draw with Royston Town
Manager Jimmy Dean admitted he had been left frustrated by the display from his Spalding United side in their home draw with Royston Town on Saturday.
The Tulips played out a drab stalemate in the Southern League Premier Division Central clash at the Sir Halley Stewart ground.
Neither goalkeeper was forced into a serious save on an afternoon where clear-cut chances were at a premium.
Dean said: "We needed to be better with our ambition and intensity and the tempo of the game was far too slow.
"We were not assimilated very well and played on different pages which is frustrating after being as good as we've been.
"We do have ourselves to blame a little bit in the first half because we didn't carry ourselves very well. We didn't play with the right energy but we haven't lost.
"It was a frustrating afternoon and I can't imagine that it was much of a spectacle for anyone watching it."
Spalding had been slow out of the blocks against a Royston side who came with a game-plan to contain the Tulips which they executed perfectly.
Dean added: "We weren't at it in the first half at all but credit to them for stifling us.
"They're a young energetic side with some sprinkles of experience but it was frustrating and I can't articulate it much better than that.
"We weren't at the races in the first half.
"We weren't good at the stuff without the ball which we have been because it has been working.
"We seemed a little bit flat and, to be good with the ball, you also have to be good without it.
"It was missing from our game in the first half.
"The pitch made it very difficult and, in the previous two games we had played against two very good footballing sides so it was a leveller, but this favoured Royston and their game-plan.
"They did a good job in stopping us which is what they came to do."
James Clifton headed the best chance wide in the first half but both sides struggled to create openings throughout the contest.
Dean continued: "We had the territory but they got men behind the ball and defended their box really well.
"I think there was one good chance in the whole game.
"Our wing play has been so prominent in what we've been doing but it was nowhere near.
"We talked about how we wanted to play and by attacking the spaces but we tried to play in front of them too much as well."
The stalemate did extend Spalding's unbeaten run to 11 games while new goalkeeper Aaron Chapman has conceded just one goal in his first three games for the club.
Dean said: "It's two clean sheets on the trot and we're still unbeaten in 11 games so you've got to take the positives.
"We're still in good form and have good momentum and we've got to be sensible because we're not going to win every game so we've got to keep our heads up, dust ourselves off and go again next Saturday.
"We never looked like conceding and we look a really resilient side who can defend the box well and on transitions."
The point saw Spalding drop down to ninth place. They travel to Banbury United on Saturday.