Gary Brabin was pleased with a point away to Ebbsfleet, especially in view of his ever-lengthening injury list, although Rory McAuley's sending-off on his debut leaves the manager reassessing his options at right back again.
"It's a good point, especially in view of the injuries we've got," Brabin said. "I was disappointed with the goal we conceded but at the same time there are lads playing out there for us who have been on their sickbed so I can't really have a go at them and overall it wasn't a bad point."
Without five players tonight due to recent injuries or suspension, Brabin gave further insight into the injury and illness problems affecting his side when he revealed that Phil Bolland and Paul Carden, who both played tonight, were rated doubtful on Monday.
"The way I felt yesterday when we were preparing for the game, I didn't know what team I was going to have out there. Phil Bolland wasn't available, Dan Gleeson wasn't available, Paul Carden was doubtful and Felino Jardim was out, as well as all the others, so I was wondering who was going to play," confessed the manager.
"But we had a good training session preparing for the game and I felt a bit more confident after that. We played some good stuff at times, and they're a physical side and I thought we more than matched them. But the lads who were struggling got a bit tired and with Bolly struggling we dropped a bit too deep and invited a bit of pressure on us."
Brabin handed a first team debut to 18-year-old Rory McAuley at right back in place of the injured Gleeson and the youngster took his chance well, even having a goal disallowed for offside, but then added to Brabin's woes with a stoppage time red card that makes him unavailable for the next three games.
"Young Rory did great and as far as I'm concerned he scored a completely legitimate goal that wasn't given, but to be fair I think it was a sending-off," admitted the manager. "He did fantastic and he'd staked a claim for Saturday, but he's suspended now so we'll just have to regroup again and see how things look in the next few days."
Our goal was scored by Lee McEvilly - his sixth of the season - from a corner and Brabin was pleased to see a training ground move pay off: "Overall I can't complain," he commented. "I told them at half-time I was delighted because all the little things we've been working on on the training ground were coming off for us and the goal was one of them. So I was pleased with that but equally I was disappointed with the chances they had.
"We looked a little bit jittery at times, but full credit to the lads because some of them did great just getting out there on the pitch and in those terms I was proud. We more than matched them physically, and with the way I want us to play football first and foremost we've got to be physical.
"It is difficult to try and play football when some of the refereeing hasn't helped us, but we're trying to play nice attractive, attacking football without my so-called first choice three wide men - Pitt, Parkinson and Jardim are all out injured. It puts more responsibility on Robbie Willmott, who did well again today, and young Chris Jones who had a good first half but got tired in the second.
"We've got some good young players and I thought young Rory McAuley came in and was excellent today," he concluded. "Ideally I'd like to ease them in rather than being forced in like this, but there are a lot of positives and overall I'm happy with the point and we've just got to regroup for Saturday."
The draw leaves us in fourth place by goal difference behind leaders Salisbury on 15 points and Burton and Mansfield (like United, on 14 points). The U's are next in action at home to Wrexham on Saturday at 3pm.
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