Whittlesey Athletic player-manager Ricky Hailstone was disappointed not to see his team earn all three points after a game of two halves.

The Fenland side led at the break before conceding late on in their 1-1 draw with Birstall United in Division One of the United Counties League on Saturday.

Despite extending their unbeaten league run to five games, Hailstone felt his team should have shown more quality in the final third.

"They dominated and we did hang on to a point," he admitted.

"They did have chances, but we had superior chances in the first-half.

"I think we tired and that came from a lot of chasing the ball in the first-half.

"In the second-half, we didn't get going; we didn't threaten too much, but it's disappointing not to hang on."

A frantic end-to-end contest saw Whittlesey hit the front when Jack Carter slotted home from the penalty spot to net his 10th goal of the season after strike partner Matt Heron was fouled.

This only sparked the visitors into life as they grew in confidence, winger Dion Potter causing most of the issues with tricky footwork.

But despite not claiming a seventh league victory this season, Athletic are focusing on stability rather than safety.

"We know with Leicestershire sides that they're going to come out and work hard," Hailstone said.

"They had a young side and we thought if we got on top like we did for the first 20 minutes, we could dominate and we did.

"But we let them back and we stopped working hard. We let them get down the sides too much and in the middle of defence, you're going to be stopping crosses."

"We were good at times and poor at times; people worked hard and didn't work hard at times.

"Five unbeaten is a good run at any level. Through the first-half of the season, we won two games and lost three, but we've had a run of games with teams in and around us, which has helped and gives us a chance.

"We're looking up rather than looking down."

Whittlesey face a run of successive away league games over the next three weeks, starting at Northamptonshire side Raunds Town this Saturday, 3pm.