RADCLIFFE Borough manager Danny Johnson praised his young side's character and fighting spirit despite their winless run in Evo-Stik Division One North stretching to five league games at high flyers Northwich Victoria on Saturday.

The Stainton Park outfit, who have also lost games against fellow play-off hopefuls Spennymoor, Warrington Town and Mossley in recent weeks, slipped to a 2-0 defeat at the third-placed promotion chasers but boss Johnson was encouraged by a much-improved display.

"We've come off the back of five really tough games against teams who are competing for play-off places and the lads performed really well," he told the Radcliffe Times.

"To come up against all those teams in quick succession and still have that fighting spirit has been really pleasing.

"You would have expected the confidence to have dwindled but it hasn't.

"The way the lads have dug in and given us everything over the past four or five games has been testament to their characters.

"It was a real team effort. Danny Lambert did great at left-back and the lads at the back defended really well as a unit, while Chris Cheetham in goal had nothing to do in the second half as a top Northwich team struggled to break us down."

Boro, who are just one place and nine points above the relegation zone, were left to rue a controversial second half penalty decision as they looked to claim their first away victory of the season.

"The dubious penalty just after half time took the wind out of our sails a bit," admitted Johnson.

"At 1-0 the game was still within our grasp but that decision just took it away from us."

Now the Stainton Park manager, who is looking forward to helping the young players at the club develop, is hoping his side can build on the performance by picking up some points at home to 15th-placed Burscough on Saturday.

"I wasn't really expecting us to get too many points in my first five or six games but now we have settled and are gelling as a team I expect to pick up six, seven, eight or nine points by the end of the season," he said.

"I definitely fancy us to get something from Burscough at home.

"We just need some points to give us something to build on.

"I'm looking for the lads to be as solid as possible and make life difficult for them. Hopefully then we can pick up the three points."