Paul Tisdale was left frustrated by wasted opportunities as his Bristol Rovers side were held to a 0-0 draw by Wigan Athletic on Tuesday night.
A Rovers side lacking a recognised striker with Brandon Hanlan, James Daly and Jonah Ayunga out injured were in the ascendancy for much of the game, but could not make their chances count.
Sam Nicholson, who played admirably as a makeshift striker, missed Rovers' best chance of the game, rounding keeper Jamie Jones on 14 minutes before seeing his effort cleared off the line.
Tisdale was impressed by Rovers' response to Saturday's dismal defeat at Swindon Town, but believes they should have earned more than a point at the DW Stadium.
"I liked them," Tisdale told reporters at full time. "I liked the effort and endeavour, the spirit and the brightness, but I’m disappointed we didn’t score and we had plenty of opportunities to pick a pass and put the ball in the net.
"But from one day’s training – I set a tone and there’s very little more I can do than that on my first day – I’m pleased with the response.
"Maybe they were trying just too hard to score. We got into some really good positions in the penalty box, probably half a dozen in behind the defence and it just needed something more purposeful or creative or patient – anything that would have given us a good chance of scoring.
"We just didn’t quite get that part of the performance, but I thought the defenders were excellent, the two centre-backs were brilliant today.
"They played really well and gave us a good platform, and there are signs I can work with going forward."
The absence of Rovers' top scorer Hanlan was costly. He missed the trip to the North West with an ankle injury and Rovers missed his physicality and presence up top.
But Tisdale says the 23-year-old has a chance of playing in Sunday's FA Cup second round tie against Darlington at the Mem, while James Daly will be available after a concussion.
"(Brandon has) a chance, and I won’t probably know that until we’ve tried it," the manager said. "He’s not going to be out for a long time.
"My conundrum with a Brandon-type injury is it’s a judgement of when you bring them back, because what you don’t want to do is be a couple of days away from getting better, flare it up again and then he’s out for three or four weeks.
"That’s my challenge with him."
