Alan Kimble feels keeping a clean sheet was as important as the three points that Witham Town took from their Ryman League division north win against Redbridge on Tuesday.

Their 3-0 win at the Village Glass Stadium was only Witham’s third shut-out of the season and assistant manager Kimble was delighted to see the team respond to some defensive woes that they suffered in the second half of their previous game.

That had seen them allow a three-goal lead to slip away as Romford drew level late in their game last weekend, so to keep a clean sheet against Redbridge was especially pleasing.

Kimble said: “It was good to bounce back after Saturday’s game against Romford.

“I felt we were complacent in the second half of that game as we let them come at us when we should have kept turning them round, but we did that against Redbridge.

“It’s always nice to keep a clean sheet but it gives everyone a boost this time. We have goals in our team so to keep a clean sheet is very pleasing and as important as the three points.

“We’ve conceded too many silly goals and we’ve been trying to rectify that.

“Sometimes you have to be prepared to win ugly and we did that.

“It can’t all be about performances – it’s also about team spirit collectively.

“We all dug in for this one and got the rewards.”

Kimble said that Witham captain Simon Glover missed the game against Redbridge with a back problem that may sideline him for a couple of weeks, but he was pleased to see George Cocklin return to take a place on the bench after recovering from a groin injury.

John Watson, Mitch Hunter and Tom Cocklin are set to still be out for tomorrow’s trip to Soham, but Kimble is hoping that Town can draw confidence from the result against Redbridge.

He added: “It will be tough at Soham, but they are another side who are around us in the table and we’ll be trying to distance ourselves from them as well.

“It was a good team performance on Tuesday and we will be feeling confident.”