Guwahati: NorthEast United FC registered a fourth clean sheet, the most in the Indian Super League (ISL), as they played out a 0-0 draw with FC Pune City at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday evening.

At the post match press conference Ricki Herbert stated, " We dominated the game in my opinion. It was a comprehensive game it just lacked a goal. I think we did good against a team that's been performing lately so I am satisfied. We have to be good on the road now and we're challenging each game. It's going to be tight but I think we'll be alright."

Ricki Herbert decided to draft in the youngster Alen Deory with Milan Singh giving way. Meanwhile, Pune made two changes with Ivan Bolado and Lenny Rodrigues replaced by Mehrajuddin Wadoo and the former Liverpool man Jermaine Pennant respectively. David Trezeguet was named on the bench with Dudu Omagbemi preferred upfront as the lone striker.

The two sides started cautiously and ventured forward only occasionally in the opening exchanges but to no avail as the game was largely bogged down in midfield.

The first chance fell for the home side in the 8th minute. Koke found Seminlen Doungel free on the right but the striker overran the ball which eventually went out of play.

The combination play between Aiborlang Khongjee and Doungel looked promising on the right side and in the 18th minute, it was the interplay between the two that earned NorthEast a corner kick. Koke’s pinpoint delivery found Deory who charged in but headed wide.

TP Rehenesh has been a revelation in the ISL so far and was called into action for the first time in 26th minute. Bruno Cirillo’s cross-field lob for Dudu was headed down on the edge of the area for Davide Colomba whose left footed effort was parried away by the NorthEast custodian.

Just two minutes later though, Kondwani Mtonga nearly put the hosts ahead with a glorious move. The Zambian midfielder made one of his trademark late runs forward and was found by Koke but his curling effort went just wide of the target.

Felipe de Crasto then tried his luck from range in the 31st minute with a fierce left-footed strike but his powerful effort couldn’t find the goal. NorthEast had more shots on target in the opening period but couldn’t make them count as the tie remained goalless at half-time.

After the break, Herbert instructed Deory and Doungel to switch flanks. The decision seemed to make a difference instantly as Deory turned on his afterburners and left two Pune defenders for dead before seeing his shot blocked by Daniele Magliocchetti in the 55th minute.

Kostas Katsouranis ran into space in the 59th minute and found Vadocz bursting into the box. The substitute took a first time shot which went over the target though when he could've taken a touch.

Just after the hour mark, Rehenesh was forced into a save again as Kostas crossed for Dudu who got some power behind his header but was directed straight at the young goalkeeper after getting ahead of Khongjee.

The introduction of Isaac Chansa seemed to reinvigorate the NorthEast contingent as he initiated several attacks with the hosts doing all they could to break the deadlock.

In the 66th minute, his pass for Doungel saw the latter get past Magliocchetti and go one-on-one with Arindam Bhattacharya who had to come off his line in order to avert the impending danger.

Robin Gurung was excellent throughout and his class came to the fore again in the 81stminute. Dudu almost got away from him as he latched on to an Ashotosh Mehta through ball but the left-back did well to recover and clear the danger.

Two minutes later, NorthEast broke quickly as Miguel Garcia's clearance found Chansa who squared it for Koke. The Spanish playmaker was just a tad ahead of the ball though and his shot went rolling into Arindam's grateful arms.

The last couple of minutes of regulation time produced another couple of efforts from NorthEast to grab all three points. First Koke attempted to chip Arindam but the keeper was on his guard.

However, he spilled Chansa's shot who was set up by Mtonga soon after but recovered to hold on to it on the second attempt.

Despite being frustrated in front of goal, the 0-0 result means that NorthEast can boast the strongest defence in the league at the moment having conceded only six goals so far and registering four clean sheets. The club’s hopes of making the play-offs look promising as they remain just one place outside the top four with six games to play.