GRAHAM Alexander felt City stood up to the physical test after their fourth draw on the bounce.
City’s goalless stalemate with Lincoln at Valley Parade last night lifted them to second in League One – a point behind leaders Stockport.
“It was a battle,” admitted Alexander. “It took me back a few years.
“It was a severe test for us defending set-pieces and the aerial threat and I thought to a man we competed really well.
“The first 15-20 minutes was a struggle for us to come to terms with what the game was. We had to make sure we stood up to that test and still offered a real goalscoring threat, which we did second half.
“We settled the players down at half-time and told them this was the way the game was going to be. Just accept it and find a way of competing.
“We do a lot of small-sided games in really tight areas and there’s a lot of contact. It’s for games like that.
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“You can still look after the ball, use your body and move it as quickly as you can because you’re not going to get two seconds out there to decide what you’re doing. You have to have an idea in your head before you receive.
“That’s why we train in a way so we hope the games are easier than what the training sessions are.
“Second half we still had to do the hard yards and had to grind. That’s sometimes what the game is.”
City’s best chances came late in the game with Tommy Leigh firing over from a great position. Andy Cook, on his 200th appearance for the club, and Tyreik Wright also had efforts saved.
Alexander sensed a breakthrough goal was coming.
“The ball was bouncing around our box and within eight seconds it was in theirs and we were having a shot or getting it blocked.
“We had a couple of real good opportunities. Tyreik’s had a good one and the keeper made a save, obviously Tommy had the shot from the penalty spot.
“I felt we could have made a better decision in the last minute or so elsewhere but it’s really hard to keep your composure in a frantic game like that at the real vital moment.
“The will and the want of the players is what pleased me most.”
Antoni Sarcevic was back in the side after missing the Stevenage draw. Stephen Humphrys was close to returning as well and could be ready for the FA Cup tie at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Alexander added: “Sarce trained separately on Monday because what we were doing with the squad wouldn’t have been enough to test him.
“I spoke to him after and then again before the game to make sure he was fully 100 per cent.
“It was the same with Humps. He spoke to me and said he was 90 per cent but that’s not enough for us.
“We’re not going to risk any player for one game when there are 30-odd to go. “Hopefully we’ll have more players back. There were a couple knocking on the door.
“But we have to have 100 per cent players, especially when we’ve got such a good squad that we can vary the starting team and know it’s still going to be a strong one.”
The City boss was pleased to see his side claim their third league clean sheet of the season.
“We’ve been quite good at keeping teams away from our goal but it’s coming in from every angle. I was disappointed with a few free-kicks in the first half and felt the officials could have been a little bit stronger.
“We needed a clean sheet. We need to improve our defensive end product.
“The whole team defends in a good way but there have been moments when we let ourselves down. I think Saturday was a case in point for the goal they scored.
“There wasn’t a lull in our defensive determination but we were forced to be at it by Lincoln.”
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