Chris Beech admitted Carlisle United did not have the attacking “flair” to turn a hard-working display into victory against Port Vale.

The Blues edged a point nearer the play-off places but dropped a position in the table after a second successive 0-0 draw.

It was a game of few serious chances and little final-third inspiration as both teams defended resolutely.

The Brunton Park stalemate leaves the Cumbrians still within sight of the top seven. But their prospects would have been even better had they found a way past Darrell Clarke’s visitors, who also failed to claim a seventh straight victory that would have seen Vale’s best winning run for 128 years.

Head coach Beech maintained Carlisle are still in the fight for the play-offs with five games to go, but said of Saturday’s draw: “It was a real battle and you’ve got to give credit to your opponent when they turn out like that.

“They had a record to chase and I’m quite happy we didn’t give it to them.

“We were fighting for ourselves and trying to get the three points, but we didn’t quite get there.

“They answered a lot of the questions we asked them and we didn’t get the free-flowing chances that we can create.

“I was pleased with how we carried on, our energy was good and some decisions were good, we just didn’t have that flair.

“We definitely contained their attacking efforts, they turned up trying to look after their clean sheet and I’m pleased we’ve kept ours, but disappointed we couldn’t edge over the line.”

Of the game’s few chances, Joe Riley and Danny Devine went close in the first half for Carlisle, with Nathan Smith nearest to a Valiants goal after the break and Paul Farman denying Theo Robinson.

United, who are now 10th, kept their fifth clean sheet in six games.

They must now try to boost their top-seven chances at Bolton on Tuesday night.

The Vale draw saw Clarke’s big defenders Leon Legge, Smith and former Blues man Shaun Brisley strong in the air, and Beech added: “It was a tough League Two game. You can see why they’ve stopped conceding, Port Vale, especially playing three big, tall lads at the back who are very committed to winning that ball.

“They’ve got two attackers that are physical and quick, and along with Luke Joyce in midfield they’ve got youth in Tom Conlon, and exuberance in terms of trying to win every second ball.

“We fought as hard if not harder, and we did get some chances, but we didn’t work the goalie enough, that’s for sure.

“We had some quality set plays and some ins, but without the clear-cut chance.

“The pitch is dry; it does get watered before the game but the lads are having to take the extra touch before taking your shot to make sure the ball settles. Within that a lot of chances get blocked or cut out.”

Beech felt Offrande Zanzala, who went off injured in the second half, deserved “more support” from ref Peter Wright in his tussles with the visiting defence.

He added: “JJ Kayode came on and I thought he dominated [their defenders] in the air.

“But they’ve got three trying to do it, not one or two, and that’s probably why they’re conceding [fewer] goals.

“I was desperate for the goal. JJ wasn’t far away from getting on the end of Callum Guy’s [late] corner. I wanted all the bottles of beer of people watching on iFollow to get sprayed everywhere if we’d got a late goal, because it doesn’t feel like we’ve had that moment yet.”

United’s improved defensive form is notable but Beech admitted he would trade it for more points.

“If it was the start of the season I’d be really pleased with another clean sheet,” he said.

“It’s a great effort from all of the lads but we’re trying our best to win.”