NORTHWICH Vics continued their improvement under new boss Steve King on Saturday with a hard-fought draw at play-off chasing Stevenage Borough.

The fact they did it with ten men only bears testament to the team’s desire to show their new manager they are capable of getting Vics out of the trouble.

Still searching for his first win in his new role at the Marston’s Arena, King was fuming after the referee sent off goalscorer Darryn Stamp and turned down a strong shout for a penalty.

He said: “It was a joke, the referee was a coward. I have never seen a forward sent off for ‘persistent fouling’, it was six of one and half a dozen of the other. I didn’t speak to the ref afterwards because there is no point. You can’t talk to them so I don’t bother.”

“They threw everything at us but without hurting us. Apart from their goal, our keeper only had to make one routine save.”

Vics had taken a 28th-minute lead at Broadhall Way through Stamp’s powerful header but their hosts were level on 64 minutes when Andy Drury smashed home a screamer from 25 yards.

And following Stamp’s harsh dismissal, it was all Stevenage. But Vics held firm and King paid tribute to his central defenders young Mark Roberts and loan signing Will Antwi from Wycombe.

He said: “All Mark has to do is concentrate and do the first thing that comes into his head. I have seen him make mistakes in the past but in the two games since I have been here, he has been brilliant.

“Antwi is class, he has great experience and he talks to people. There were a few raised eyebrows when we got him because there are a lot of people in for him.”

On Saturday, Vics head to Salisbury City without suspended Simon Grand and still have injury doubts over Ritchie Sutton, Paul Barratt and Joel Byrom. King hopes that Lee Steele may finally complete his rehabilitation from injury in time to feature at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium (3pm).