ASSISTANT manager Barry Blankley was thanking his lucky stars to have a goalkeeper like Kevin Sawyer after Salisbury City eased their Ryman Premier worries with a 2 - 1 win over Hendon.

Built like a brick outhouse, Sawyer stood firm while those around him were in danger of collapse as the north Londoners piled on the pressure in the closing stages.

"He's a big old unit and it instills so much confidence in the back four knowing they've got someone like him behind them," said Blankley. "His handling was superb today. He's big and strong coming out to catch the ball. And when he comes out of his 18-yard box he doesn't mess around. Where the ball needs to go, it goes, Kevin makes sure of that."

Despite a nervy November which yielded just four points out of 12 against their basement rivals, Salisbury's patient legion of fans continue to keep the faith.

A healthy 498 turned out again at Old Sarum on Saturday, just 32 short of Whites' season's best league gate against Folkestone on the opening day.

Most must have left with bitten nails and racing hearts - and they weren't the only ones.

Blankley nearly blew a gasket in the final 15 minutes as the wobbling Whites teetered on the brink of losing their 2-1 half-time advantage.

Sawyer flung himself at one well-struck shot by substitute John Frendo on the 82nd minute, but he was powerless to act seconds later when Frendo got into another dangerous position and this time saw the ball clatter down off the underside of the crossbar for Craig Davis to clear.

Blankley smiled: "It wasn't just the crowd feeling nervous. I must admit I had a few flutters in the chest area but, in the end, it was a well-earned three points and it was nice to give the supporters something to cheer about. The crowd have been superb home and away.

"There's a good atmosphere in the dressing room too and I've told the players to get used to that winning feeling because that what I want after every single game."

After two straight league defeats against Wealdstone and Harrow Borough, Whites had got back into the winning groove on Tuesday with a 4-3 semi-final, first leg victory at Chippenham Town in the Wiltshire Premier Shield.

Adam Wallace weighed in with a seven-minute hat-trick that night and it was the former Saints reserves striker who was again the hero of the hour on Saturday.

With 27 minutes gone he struck with a stooping header following an inspired run and cross from ex-Eastleigh striker Robbie Matthews, who galloped forward from inside his own half to set up the chance.

Hendon replied with a low free kick from Dave Sargent in the 43rd minute after Josh Thomas had rather harshly been penalised on the edge of the box.

But that decision was offset just over a minute later when Wallace skipped past one challenge before falling under what looked a fair tackle by Dave Nolan.

Much to the north Londoners' disbelief, the referee pointed to the spot and Wallace slammed his fifth goal in five days low into the bottom right-hand corner.

Blankley confessed: "I thought it was a good challenge by their lad but, saying that, I didn't think it was a foul for their free kick, so it evens itself out."

There was a spell in the second half when Salisbury looked guaranteed to extend their lead, but Matthews hooked a volley just wide from Scott Barlett's cross and Matt Tubbs clattered a left-foot shot against the bar after Matthews had headed on Wallace's delivery from the right.

The luxury of breathing space never came, however, and it was all about character in those anxious closing minutes.

Blankley concluded: "We didn't play the most fluent football we can, but we ground out a result."

Mark Kelly has quit as Salisbury's coach. The former Portsmouth player, who works full-time for AFC Bournemouth's youth academy, had been in charge of first-team affairs in the absence of general manager Nick Holmes until Blankley was appointed in October.

Whites director Neville Beal said: "I haven't discussed it fully with Mark yet, but he had a lot of work on and he was finding it difficult to do the job here, particularly with Nick being away."