AT the risk of stating the obvious -- we have to score goals and start sooner rather than later.

We've been involved in a number of no score draws, but while being disappointed with a point in games we should have won, at least we keep the points ticking over.

By this stage in the season we had wanted to open some sort of gap at the top but even though we've maintained our position we are well aware the pack is closing in fast but we're not going to lose our heads over that.

The injury situation is easing and we've bought in another player in the shape of Adam Wilde who had an excellent debut considering he had just met his team mates an hour before kick-off.

Despite the hiccup in front of goal there is still a lot play for. As always it's down to us, and the fact we have still to put in a 90-minute performance, together with the key players still to come back, gives us grounds for hope and optimism.

We've flogged a lot of willing horses in recent weeks and the opportunity is now there to recharge a few batteries.

Dan Jones didn't start against Ilkeston but that was not a reflection on his previous displays. I just felt I might need a bit more experience against the Robins.

Part of a nurturing a young player involves playing them, resting them, playing them again and I had the same with Alan Grundy in my days at Stourbridge. One week I was in the first team in the Southern League, the next I was in the West Midlands League with the reserves and it was only years later that I realised it was the right thing to do.

One player who works his socks off every minute he is on the pitch is Adam Webster but at the moment, like the rest of the team, he's not scoring. He tends to do a lot of running outside the penalty area and that's typical of his willingness to work. But equally you don't score too many goals from outside the box!

I've never seen him as being a prolific scorer but somebody who can make a significant contribution to the team.

However, defenders defend and strikers should score goals and when they are not scoring it hits their confidence and Adam is no different.

He's an honest player and we need to help and support both him and Mark Owen though that can't go on indefinitely and we've got the flexibility in the squad to change things round.

Mark is disappointed with how he is playing at the moment but as I've said on more than one occasion you don't just bounce back from a serious injury.

After his couple of recent goals, people said he would be back on the scoresheet regularly but they don't understand the mental side of it.

The fact he's not scoring doesn't make too much difference -- it's the other aspects of his game that have not re-emerged.

I've no doubt he will get back to his best but he needs careful monitoring and understanding from everybody at the club .