STEVE Winter was pleased to see his side avoid an upset against Chertsey Town as they progressed through to the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy.

The Bluebirds boss went into the game with a problem in the heart of his defence, with Greg Tindle suspended and on-loan Ross Adams ordered not to play by parent club Basingstoke Town.

Striker Alan Griffin and Shane Blackmore held the fort in their absence and Winter was impressed by the pair’s performance.

“If someone had offered me 3-0 and a clean sheet before the game, I’d have said ‘happy days’,” said Winter.

“It was a big banana skin and we got through it. We had two of our centre-halves missing and, to be fair to Shane and Griff, they did a good job and it gives me a bit of a headache now.

“They did put us under a bit of pressure at the start of the second half.

“It seems like we go in at half-time and it doesn’t matter what I say to them, they always seem to come out on the back foot – I sometimes wish that I could keep them out there. There’s still room for improvement but we’re getting to where we want to be.

“We haven’t got a game now until next Tuesday, which is disappointing, but we’ve got a fully fit squad.

“The boys have won two on the spin and that’s the most we’ve done this season.

“Next Tuesday is going to be a real tough game against Stourbridge because we won 1-0 up there and they’re going to want revenge but we go into it fully confident.”

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