The depleted playing resources of Halstead Town rose to the challenge in their Thurlow Nunn League division one game at King’s Lynn Reserves to leave their manager feeling proud if also a little weather-beaten.

Boss Mark Benterman said the omens weren’t looking good as they travelled to Norfolk with just a bare 11 first-team players and himself as a sole substitute, so he was pleased that they managed to take something from the game with a 0-0 draw.

Benterman said: “We had a number of players pull out, mainly through injuries, between the Thursday and Saturday, so we were rather depleted and five of the 11 we did take were carrying knocks as well.

“We had the bare 11 with me on the bench and the chairman (Jim Holder) was going around to the players before the game telling them that there was no way they were coming off so that I would go on.

“I did go on for the last 25 minutes, though, and even the stadium announcer was taking the mickey when I came on.

“It had been five or six years since I had played at that level and I’m still feeling the effects of it.

“But I was so proud of the lads and the effort they put in.

“Had we gone there with a full-strength squad and drawn 0-0 it would have been a good result, but to do that with the squad that we did take was very pleasing indeed.

“There were so many positives to take out of it – apart from me coming on.

“The attitude and performance was incredible.

“We had people playing through injuries and saying they wanted to do it for the club. Ryan Swallow could have dislocated his arm, but he wanted to stay on.

“Everyone rolled their sleeves up and 0-0 was a great result.

“You go there with 11 players and you’d expect to lose, but to go there and get a result was fantastic.

“I’d say it was the best character I have seen from a group of boys and that was great to see.”

Jordan Hutchings, Jimmy Laird, Lewellyn Evans, Jonah Gosling, Alex Gunn were all missing for the trip to King’s Lynn, but Benterman was hoping they would come back in for tomorrow’s home game against Leiston Reserves at Rosemary Lane.