SIMON Grand insists concentration will be key to improving Northwich Victoria’s fortune in the coming weeks.

Vics’ skipper told the Guardian that lapses at inopportune moments had cost his team points in their bid to climb the Blue Square North table.

“It was disappointing not to win,” he said of Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Hyde United.

“We had a lot of chances to score but it was annoying too not to keep a clean sheet at the other end.

“If we want to continue to do well then perhaps we need to learn how to be a bit more stingy to close out a game we are winning.

“At the very top level Manchester United can scrape a 1-0 without being at their best, it’s something we need to add to our game.”

The 25-year-old says successive league draws at Hyde, Stafford and before that Ilkeston followed similar scripts.

They were all matches that Vics dominated.

“I think it’s a concentration thing,” he added.

“The matches at Ilkeston and Stafford in the past few weeks are classic examples. I think we were so in control that it almost became too easy.

“That leads to us starting to overcomplicate things and making decisions we wouldn’t normally. I’d rather see us keep it simple and make that dominance count.”

Grand, who has now amassed more than 50 appearances in league and cup since switching to Northwich little more than a year ago, has rubbished suggestions that the FA Trophy – non-league’s FA Cup – was not near the top of the players’ priorities.

“We won’t win the FA Cup, but we can win the FA Trophy,” he said.

“For that reason it’s a competition we’re desperate to do well in. There’s an extra incentive too because we will play one of our main rivals in Fleetwood.

The Fishermen, who put eight goals without reply past Redditch United last weekend, will provide a stiff test for Andy Preece’s men.

Their attack, led by former Northwich transfer target Gareth Seddon and ex-Witton Albion goal poacher Adam Warlow, is sure to keep Grand and defensive partner Mat Bailey on their toes.

Vics’ captain, a summer transfer target for the Highbury men before they paid £17,000 for Barrow stopper Steve McNulty instead, added: “Before the season I agreed with everybody else who was tipping Fleetwood for the top.

“But their season has followed a similar pattern to ours in that at first they struggled against teams they were expected to beat easily.

“That’s something both of us have been putting right recently.”

Kick off on Saturday is 3pm.