The Silkmen drew 0-0 with Aldershot at the weekend with one crucial moment coming as Silkmen 'keeper Jon Brain dived full length to tip a close-range shot around the post.

This excellent stop gave Jon his fourth clean sheet of the season and we spoke to him this afternoon.

Saturday was your fourth clean sheet of the season so far. How do you think things are going?

"Personally, I'm very pleased with the way the season is progressing. The four clean sheets are a bonus, and we have only lost twice in the League when we have played. Not forgetting that one of those was down to a pretty debatable penalty against Lincoln. The only other was against Notts County when everyone was off the boil a bit.

"Everyone has a lot of confidence at the moment. We've drawn our last three games, against some tough opposition and there have been a lot of positives to take out of all three of them."

We are certainly conceding fewer goals. What is different with the defence now from last season?

"Everything feels different. We all have a much better mentality. Last season when we lost we tended to lose quite heavily. A few threes and fours and the 6-0 against Darlington, and that has only happened to us once this year.

"But this season everyone has a lot more confidence. We go in to games expecting to get results and expecting to the points from the game.

"The confidence is really high and we're proving very difficult to beat, which is important."

Do you have any targets about not conceding?

"You go in to every game wanting to keep a clean sheet, but I don't really set targets and it's always more important to see the team performing across the board. I'd rather let in three and win 4-3 than come away with a 0-0 draw because that gets you more points on the board. But I'm always happy to take them when they come along."

Were you disappointed to miss out in the FA Cup?

"Of course. You want to play every game but the gaffer wanted to give Jose a run out which I can understand. The FA Cup is a one-off game, and it was in a great stadium, and was a very good game. It's something I'd have liked to have been a part of, but in that situation all you can ask is to be back in the side for the next game."

And it was a good performance. Especially the save right at the death.

"People often say that good saves late in otherwise quiet games are the hardest, but the truth is you never really switch off. I didn't see as much of the ball as I had been expecting, but you are always talking to the defence, and watching what is going on.

"I'd had a few stops to make through the game, from long range but they are a very good attacking side and I could tell that they were going to get a chance sooner or later. We defended very well throughout the game, but I'm pleased that when I was called on to make the safe at the end, I was there to do it."

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