KYLE Critchell believes an ability to scrap for points will help keep Weymouth in the Blue Square Premier.

The Terras, under new manager Bobby Gould, captured their first league point since February 10 on Easter Monday courtesy of a 1-1 draw at home to Forest Green Rovers, registering their first goal in 716 minutes in the process.

Despite gaining a point, Weymouth remain in the relegation zone due to their inferior goal difference.

However, Critchell, on loan from league rivals Wrexham, sees no reason why the Terras cannot avoid the drop.

He said: “It’s always been in our own hands. We’ve got some big games at home and let’s hope we get some good results.

“The draw on Monday was a massive result. We’ve showed we can scrap and we can fight, and as long as we keep doing that I don’t see why we can’t stay up. It’s going to be difficult though.”

Weymouth may have stopped the rot of 11 straight defeats with the draw against Rovers, but Critchell believes it was only a matter of time before they picked up a positive result.

The defender added: “The signs have been there to be fair. In the last four or five games we’ve been impressive in the first half but then died off.

“At Lewes we should have been 4-0 up at half-time so it has been there, but to finally break the duck you could see the relief in the side.

“With the new gaffer coming in it gives you that extra incentive to impress him. He gave us a bit of a rollicking at half-time against Forest Green and told us ‘don’t stop what you’re doing’ and that was an incentive for us to do well in the second half.

“Although we did concede a sloppy goal, I thought we did well. Finally we can have a smile on our faces and walk out the stadium feeling proud that we’ve done something.”

Gould replaced former boss Alan Lewer on Saturday night, after the Terras lost 1-0 at rock-bottom Lewes, and will take charge for the remainder of the season.

Of Lewer’s departure, Critchell said: “Alan brought me in so it was a bit of a shock that he went but at the end of the day you want to keep the club in the league and it was important we got a result against Forest Green.”