NO shortage of effort or character, but lacking in quality and confidence.

That was manager Mark Beesley’s summation of Warrington Town’s draw with Leamington on Tuesday night to wrap up a run of four consecutive home games.

Having lost the previous two to Needham Market and Farsley Celtic, a familiar sinking feeling set in around Cantilever Park when Callum Stewart prodded the visitors in front just before the half-hour mark.

However, Josh Miles’ leveller just after half time at least ensured a point – two less than they wanted, but something Beesley insists can be built upon.

While crediting his players for “giving absolutely everything they had,” he admits they were lacking the clinical edge to turn one point into the three they craved.

“I must credit the boys because they given everything for us,” he said.

“They’ve come off the field absolutely knackered so they’ve given absolutely everything they had, every one of them. Sometimes, that’s all you can ask.

“We’re missing a bit of quality and finesse at the top end of the pitch at the moment, and we’ve done what has become the usual of giving the team a leg-up – they only had two corners and they scored from one.

“That’s where we’re at at the moment, but the effort is there.

There was character and a will to come back. Our quality as a group of people got us a point today.

“We played some good stuff at times but I just think we’re missing that final bit that gets you three points rather than one.

“It's probably a bit of a confidence issue as well as quality. We’ve lost the last two at home when we’ve maybe not deserved to, so when you go 1-0 down there’s a bit of apprehension there.

“We had a great reaction after half time which gave us a bit of belief, but we’re lacking that little bit of quality.

“The effort and willingness to learn is there – we’ve got a lot of young lads on the pitch at the minute and they’re giving everything.”

Town opted to change their formation for the game and operated with two strikers as opposed to the usual lone frontman, with Joe Rodwell-Grant and Gez Sithole working in tandem.

“We just felt we needed a little more up front with two of them as opposed to one,” Beesley said, explaining his decision to change tack.

“It’s something we’ve spoken about. Out of possession, they drop down and help the midfield and it gave them a bit of a problem, especially at the start of the game.

“We started pretty well and probably should have been 1-0 up, but we were just missing that bit of composure.”

Elsewhere, the extent of Town’s current injury struggles was laid bare with Matt Grivosti – a winger by trade – forced into an unfamiliar right-back role after Murphy Bennett joined the absentee list on Saturday having been forced off with a hamstring issue.

Despite being named on the bench, fellow full-back Ollie Southern (Achilles) was not fit to play while the likes of Peter Clarke, Jay Harris and Josh Amis remain out.

The over-reliance on those currently fit was personified by Beesley’s decision not to use any of his substitutes – the stricken Southern was by far the most experienced option, with young midfield trio Mikey O’Neill, Sam Gill and Deacon Smalley the others on the bench.

“We felt we were doing alright,” Beesley said when asked about his decision not to turn to his bench.

“We felt the lads on the pitch were the best placed to open things up and create something for us.

“It wasn’t to be in the end – we thought about one or two subs but decided to keep with what we were doing.”

The Town boss added: “We’ve got two big leaders at this club – one in Peter Clarke who’s hobbling around on crutches and another who will hopefully be back soon in Jay Harris – and they’re a big miss for us.

“When things aren’t going your way, young players look to the likes of them and they’re not there at the moment.

“You’ve got to give them credit – a lot of them are playing sustained men’s football for the first time so to show that character amongst themselves to come back and get a point, you’ve got to give them credit.”