WREXHAM manager Denis Smith watched his side keep a second successive clean sheet in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Peterborough United and said it was a formula for promotion.

The Dragons have conceded only one goal in their three matches to date and, although the Racecourse boss was not overly-impressed with the standard of football played, he was delighted with the resilience shown by his players.

"It's difficult to put a positive slant on the game and the ball is now in the referee's room being fed aspirin or panadol because it got battered from one end to the other," he said afterwards.

"It was not the most attractive game of football, but you know what Peterborough are going to be like and you have to match them.

"I think the surprise was that we matched them physically and it was always going to take a flash of brilliance or a mistake to produce the winner. That fell to us through Chris Llewellyn but he's hit the bar.

"It wasn't a classic by any means, but we kept a clean sheet again and that means we've conceded one goal in three games.

"I've just said to the lads if we continue that sort of form through the season we'll be promoted, no ifs or buts. We looked very solid at the back again."

Smith admitted that Darren Ferguson, absent through injury, had been missed and added: "We perhaps needed someone like Darren (Ferguson) to take the sting out it and slow the game down and

Danny (Williams) was carrying an injury from early on.

"Losing Danny's height in set plays meant I had to bring on Mike Williams for Simon Spender, even though he did well.

"That restricted what I could do attacking-wise. Peterborough are hard to play against, their back three give strikers a hard time, but we could say the same about our back line. We've had a few knocks today and Steve Evans and Neil Roberts had to pass fitness tests to play."

The Dragons boss also had a special word of praise for defender Ryan Valentine, who has immediately settled into the side since his summer move from Darlington.

"Ryan had another super game," added Smith. "He's a player and a half and people don't like playing against him. I'm delighted with his attitude and his performances."

Valentine, himself, insisted Wrexham's unbeaten start to the campaign was very much a team effort.

"We knew before the game it was going to be tough," he said.

"They are a direct side, they play to their strengths and I suppose with us being at home, we're a bit disappointed not to have won.

"If we had put away the one clear-cut chance of the game it would have been a great 1-0 result.

"We've made a great start, though, and that's down to everyone working hard all over the pitch.

"On paper the three games we've had probably means we have had the toughest start.

"So to be unbeaten at this stage is very promising."