MATT Burton takes his Alport side to Litherland on Wednesday hoping to build on a morale boosting point gained at the weekend.

The Reds had to play all of the second half with just 10 men at Squires Gate after Alex Hughes was sent off while in the sin bin.

While club’s the winless run might have stretched to 11 games and for the fourth time in a row the team failed to score, this was much more than keeping a clean sheet and staving off yet another defeat.

This was about camaraderie and a much-needed togetherness at the end of an emotional week for 10-man Reds pick up point on road at Squires Gate everyone connected with the club after the tragic death of 22-year-old supporter, Aaron Millington.

The news hit hard right through the club and it was important that the team were galvanised by the reaction everywhere around Yockings and Burton admitted he was ‘over the moon’ to get a result but it was not just the on–field reaction that pleased the manager.

“Everyone was buzzing in the dressing room after the match and that was so pleasing because we needed that,” he said.

“We didn’t necessarily go with a defined gameplan, we just wanted to get back to instilling the Alport way.

“To watch the players stick rigidly to what we discussed both in training and after training was fantastic.

“The management team met with the chairman on Wednesday night and we decided to press the reset button.

“I needed that because things that needed to be said were said and as long as we are straight with each other, we can all move forward. I’m desperate to do well at this football club and I put untold pressure on myself when things aren’t going right.

“On Saturday, we got a reaction from everyone. Players were all giving eight’s and nine’s out on the pitch whereas recently we’ve been lucky to get six’s and the odd seven.”

Alport’s task was made all the harder with that Hughes dismissal and Burton was less than pleased with how the situation was handled.

“Look, Alex cannot speak to a linesman like that so there is no way I’m going to condone what he did.

“But the officials could have been so much smarter there because the dissent shown by my player was out of frustration and not aggression.

“Their player has sat on the ball and then been given a free-kick and that’s why Alex reacted so you could argue whether or not he deserved to go to the sin bin in the first place.

“When the linesman has alerted the ref to something Alex has said, because it was only a minute until half time surely the referee can go to the dugout and tell the player to calm himself down?

“I told the referee that he had ruined a really good, honest game of football and who knows what might have happened in the second half had we had Alex on the pitch?

“He and Jud were linking really well together, and I felt we were in the ascendancy coming towards the end of the first half.”

Centre back Leon Ashman could have made himself a hero had he not wasted a glorious opportunity close to the whistle and Burton revealed that Ashman had made a bold prediction at half-time.

“What a chance that was,” said the Reds chief. “If that had gone in, I reckon I would have done a full-on mudslide on the pitch! Leon actually called it during the break.

“He said to me ‘don’t worry gaffer, I’m gonna win us the game in the last minute’ and the lad really should have done.

“But it’s impossible to be downhearted when every player has run himself into the ground for me.

“I didn’t want to rain on the players’ parade, but I gave them 10 minutes or so in the dressing room to congratulate one another, then reminded them that it was only a good point providing we get it right at REMYCA on Wednesday night.”

This coming weekend, Alport host high-flying Longridge Town at Yockings Park.

The match is sponsored by the Bulls Head. The club will be paying its respects to Aaron and are urging supporters to get to the ground early.