George Miller's goal in first half stoppage time made it three wins out of three for Paul Stephenson's Boro, but Craig Spooner, Kyle Cameron and Macaulay Gillesphey were all denied by goalkeeper Aynsley Pears while Daniel Barlaser hit the woodwork and Owen Gallagher had appeals for a penalty waved away.

The Magpies had scored a combined eight goals in their previous two outings, but couldn't find a way through at Heritage Park, the home of Bishop Auckland.

"It was a game of two halves," Beardsley told nufc.co.uk. "They were better in the first half, no doubt about that, and we were better in the second half.

"We had the best situations, rather than chances, but wasted a lot of them and it's always hard when you're chasing the game.

"Their goal came at a brilliant time for them, just before half time - a scrappy goal, disappointing from our point of view.

"After they scored, they could then play their own game, slow it down, manage the game. They probably bent the rules a few times but that's something you have to live with.

"I keep saying to this group, when you're winning you can dictate the game but when you're losing it all becomes a bit frantic. They (Boro) were camped in their own half in the second half, but they won the game and obviously that was their aim.

"I'd say over the 90 minutes we were the better team but the scoreline for them is what matters."

Beardsley's boys are next in action on Tuesday night, when they play their first ever Checkatrade Trophy game at Crewe Alexandra.

And he said: "It's disappointing because we wanted to keep the run going, but they're looking forward to Tuesday.

"It's a big game for them and it's great that they've got that coming up so soon because when you have a result that's not ideal, you want to move on as quickly as you can."