TONY Sullivan admitted his team did not deserve to beat Belper after putting in a below-par performance against the back-markers.

A goalless stalemate on Saturday allowed Witton to climb a place in the Premier Division table, but that did little to cheer the Albion manager.

“We’ve missed a chance,” he said afterwards.

“It feels like we’ve lost.

“Too many players had an off-day, and were nowhere near the level they reached when we beat Stourbridge in midweek.

“If we had played anything like we did on Tuesday, we’d have won by a wide margin.

“Too many times we didn’t make the right decisions in the final third, playing a pass that was too short or not shooting when there was an opening.

“We didn’t do enough to win the game.”

There are some reasons for optimism.

Witton are unbeaten in five league games, their best run of results since Tony Sullivan replaced Anthony Sheehan as manager in October.

They also shut out an opponent for the first time since winning at Marine on New Year’s Day.

Sullivan said: “We’re another point closer to our target [for survival]. Now we’re 11 short.

“We’ve not lost now in six matches if you include the cup, so it’s important to remember there’s a bigger picture.

“Belper have drawn with Buxton and Curzon Ashton this week, and we lost 5-0 there earlier this season.

“Why should they come here and let us slap them? It’s just not going to happen.”

Sullivan accepted his side, and not for the first time, had been outmuscled at times by physically imposing opponents.

A similar challenge awaits at Frickley next Saturday.

He added: “When teams are robust like that, we need to show more willingness to put ourselves in where the boots are flying.

“We can still respect sides that play like that, but not be scared of them.

“Our physio comes on the pitch five times every game, the other team’s doesn’t. Why is that?

“We need more steel, whether that comes from within the group or by bringing in one or two players who supply it.”