DEAN KEATES admits it was crucial Wrexham started keeping clean sheets in the fight against relegation.

Inconsistency has been an issue all season with the Reds, who kept a huge amount of shut-outs over the previous two campaigns, leaking goals.

But Wrexham have kept three successive clean sheets, with wins against Woking and Harrogate followed by Saturday's goalless draw at home to Dagenham, and Keates feels his side are heading in the right direction ahead of tomorrow's clash at fellow strugglers Chesterfield.

"When you are down there fighting for your lives, there is no point scoring two goals if you are conceding three," said Keates.

"We had to keep clean sheets, it gives us a chance of winning football matches and picking up points.

"We ground out a good point against Dagenham in difficult conditions; we didn't look like we were going to concede."

Wrexham never made it three wins in a row against the Daggers at a windswept Racecourse but Keates was delighted to extend the unbeaten run ahead of another huge game against Chesterfield in the battle for survival.

"We have gone win, lose, win, lose, win, lose, win, win and it is a decent point on the back end of a good three points at Harrogate," said Keates.

"We are unbeaten in three games, seven points out of nine and three clean sheets.

"We want to go to Chesterfield and keep a clean sheet but this week put three points on the board."

n There are three other National League fixtures and Bromley will move up to fifth place with a home win against Solihull.

Other fixtures: Dagenham v Stockport; Hartlepool v Aldershot.