GRANT SHENTON wants to play a major part in Chester’s late push for the play-offs starting with keeping a hat-trick of clean sheets at bottom club Nuneaton Borough on Saturday.

Having kept leaders Chorley at bay in last weekend's goalless draw at The Deva - the second time the Blues number one has thwarted the National League North front-runners - Shenton heads to Nuneaton full of confidence having also played his part in a 1-0 win at Darlington 10 days ago.

“We’re on a decent run and it’s all about consistency and I’ve been showing a bit more consistency with my performances,” said Shenton, who pulled off a world class save in the North East a week ago - even if it was from his own player Simon Grand.

“It was Grandy’s first game back and you’ve got to keep them out no matter who they come off. Grandy’s pulled me out of the mire a few times this season, so I’m not going to complain.

“Not that I’ve been making lots of bad mistakes this season, but my form is a lot better and it helps because we’re now back in a run of playing games.

“Our season has been so stop-start and players, no matter what level they’re at, need to be playing week in, week out.

“It’s been a frustrating season but we’re still in with a chance. We’ve had a couple of good results and now we’ve got to try and get something from Saturday.

“We can’t look too far ahead but if we get to Good Friday and the last three games, and still be in with a shout, then we can give it a real go.”

Shenton won’t be taking anything for granted at Nuneaton, who ended an awful run with a 4-0 thrashing of fellow strugglers FC United a week ago.

“It’s just our luck that we face them after they’ve won for the first time in ages,” added the former Ramsbottom shot-stopper.

“We’ve struggled a bit against teams in the lower half of table and we’ve got a good record against the better sides in this division.

“But we’re getting our confidence back and we know we need to win.”

Nuneaton had a relegation reprieve on Tuesday with Spennymoor beating Guiseley but if they don’t beat Chester tomorrow, their fate will definitely be sealed.

Ninth-placed Chester are five points away from the final play-off spot with six games to go but need the likes of AFC Telford and Altrincham to drop points if the Blues are in with a realistic chance of extending their season.

Shenton believes the team are improving game by game but admits it’s still a learning process for the players who have been brought in by the joint-management team of Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley.

“We’re still a young side in terms of playing together,” added Shenton, who has been an ever present in the league this season.

“You look at Stockport County and the nucleus of their side has been together for three years and that’s obviously going to help with consistency levels.”

Stockport could be top of the table by the time they head to Chester for next Tuesday’s all-ticket game.

County head to Hereford while leaders Chorley, who are just two points clear, welcome Telford.

In-form defender Grand, who has played his part in the Blues last two shut-outs, is also challenging the team to go and win every remaining game of the season.

“You can’t go into training and you can’t go into games thinking the play offs are not on,” said Grand. “All we can do now is think ‘let’s go win every game’.

“I think if you had hand picked at the start of the season your last away games being against the teams that are down the bottom you couldn’t have picked better but the way the season has gone they’ve ended up tough fixtures.

“We’ve just got to back ourselves because there’s always that one team that hits form and just makes the play offs and there the ones that are always dangerous and that’s what we’ve got to aim for.”

Altrincham - one of the teams Chester must catch for a top-seven finish - go to Alfreton while Kidderminster entertain Bradford Park Avenue and Boston visit Blyth.

Saturday’s other fixtures: Ashton v Spennymoor; Brackley v Guiseley; Curzon Ashton v Leamington; Darlington v FC United; York v Southport.