TOO often this season, from both the dug out as manager and the director’s box in his role as director of sport, Chris Turner has watched Hartlepool United play well and get their share of plaudits, but ultimately lose.

At the stage of the season when all that matters are results, Pools produced a performance away from the norm and were rewarded for it.

An all-too-rare clean sheet at one end, and a rare scoring blank at the other, meant this goalless draw at Crewe was a largely drab affair, first-half especially.

It may have been ugly and unattractive but, importantly for Pools, it added a point on the board. If they can follow it up with another three this afternoon against Scunthorpe, their job of getting enough points to stay in League One will be nearly done.

Now on 47 points, Pools were relegated three years ago on 50. Last season, 52 points kept Pools six points ahead of the bottom four.

Turner feels the bottom three teams are as good as already down. There’s only fourth bottom still to avoid.

Northampton, in that position, are five points behind Pools but they have two games in hand.

“I hope I’m right, but I think that there is one place to play for from our point of view – to keep away from fourth bottom,’’ reflected Turner.

“We’ve increased the gap by another point and let’s hope for another three on Monday to make it even harder for others.

“I think our goal difference is better than the majority of others around us so that’s worth another point if need be.’’ That the goal difference wasn’t affected negatively and the points tally was added to was thanks to a solid defensive display, with central defenders Micky Nelson and Sam Collins under most high balls, and keeper Jan Budtz behind the others.

“I think they defended as well as they were bad against Hereford,’’ said Turner. “This is more important because we didn’t score a goal ourselves – it’s a rarity not to concede one.

“The important thing was not to lose. Crewe will have looked at us and our away record and, like we did against Hereford, said it was going to be a three-pointer.

“How you get it, it doesn’t matter, thankfully they didn’t.

“And we had a few chances ourselves as well and, personally, I don’t like having to defend but I prefer us to defend like that and come away with something than coming away and getting backslaps and the like from others saying what a great footballing side we are when we have lost.

“That’s happened too often to us.’’ Budtz excelled in the second- half, making impressive and equally important stops to keep out goalbound efforts from Sigurdsson and Clayton Donaldson.

His handing was assured and the back four developed welcome confidence as a result.

Budtz has only made five starts this season, conceding just three times, and he has yet to lose.

He recently played three times on loan for Oldham, returning to Pools after a change of manager at Boundary Park.

“I always want to keep a clean sheet,’’ reflected the Dane, a great one on this occasion.

“As a team we did well and a point is a big one for us.

“Three points on Monday and things would look really, really good for us.

“I think I played one of my better games. Sometimes you hit your day and I think I did.

It was a good feeling.

“It’s a good confidence boost for me.

“I’m out of contract in the summer and there might be people out here looking for next season – I don’t know where I am at the moment.

“I haven’t talked to the club yet, things are open. Now I hope to stay in the team until the end of the season.

“I went to Oldham on loan and it went wrong, it wasn’t a wrong choice as I played three games, but it’s nice to be back playing for Hartlepool.

“The gaffer has shown his confidence in me to keep me in the side and I hope I repaid it. Last time I played three games and then left out for Arran (Lee-Barrett) so obviously I wasn’t happy, but it’s his choice and all you can do is bounce back. I’ve got my chance and hopefully I can keep my place.’’ Budtz has to keep his place on this display and Turner won’t change his goalkeepers around today.

But in injury time on Saturday it looked as if all of the hard work on Saturday was going to waste. Sigurdsson broke to the area and shot at goal only a desperate and expert block from Collins diverted it away to safety.

Sometimes in football doing the ugliest things are the most rewarding.

“I think the travelling supporters, who were magnificent throughout, saw players putting their bodies on the line for the cause,’’ reflected Turner.

“Crewe are a big side, a bit more direct than in the past and you can see why they have had some improved results of late.

“It was a flat first-half, but all fans are fed up, like me, of going away from home and ending up with plaudits and no points.

“Our intention was to stop Crewe getting a head of steam and we had to stay in the game as long as possible when we knew we would have chances later on. We came to get something and we did, which was very important.’’ Today’s game with Scunthorpe will go a long way to determining their future status.

“We know the qualities of some of our players and they can create things, but this time they worked hard to earn a point away from home – there can be no complaints,’’ added the manager.

“I thought Jan was outstanding, he caught every cross and caught them cleanly and made some very good saves in the second half. It was a difficult decision (between Budtz and Lee-Barrett), but sometimes you have to go with the gut feeling and he rewarded us with an outstanding performance.

“Everyone was outstanding in different terms – workrate, commitment, attitude couldn’t be faulted.

“Nelson and Collins at the back were solid. Sam has took a bit of stick of late, but he had laid his body on the line, won headers, got blocks in and looked very strong as a pairing.

“I’ve said before the centrehalves are only as good as the boys in front of them and those boys worked their socks off to nullify areas and players which takes the pressure off the central defenders.’’