Billy Heath couldn’t hide his delight for his players following their 4-0 victory over Chester FC at the MBi Shay Stadium this weekend.
Goals from Tom Denton, Scott McManus, Danny Clarke and a collector’s item as Josh MacDonald found the back of the net, capping off a perfect afternoon for the Shaymen.
The manager was on cloud nine after a second consecutive victory in the Vanarama National League and was impressed by the performance of his charges.
‘I am just pleased for the players,’ he said after the game.
‘We played some really good stuff, we played long, we played short, we made some really good choices.
‘We knew they would set up with three centre halves and we knew that if we could get McManus and MacDonald down the sides of the centre halves we would cause the lots of problems, and that’s exactly what we did.
‘We won the ball high up the pitch and got both Macca’s free, and they pulled centre halves into areas they didn’t want to go.
‘We were rampant, were really asking the questions, we were really ramping up the pressure. I don’t think they had any real chances in the first half,’ he continued.
‘The first goal in these games is massively important and in the last two games we have got the first goal. It gives you a foothold and gives you something to hold onto.
‘You’re always looking for the second one, it just settles everyone down, and then the icing on the cake were the third and fourth.’
Particular praise was heaped onto the rare goalscorer MacDonald, who was named man of the match and given a standing applause for his performance by the Shay faithful. After over 100 performances for the club, he finally grabbed his first goal in a Halifax shirt.
‘[MacDonald] has been in really good form, even when we were on a bad run, he was in good form,’ Heath explained.
‘He was so disappointed he couldn’t play in the Aldershot game.’
‘He was touch and go on Thursday but he was so eager to get back and he was magnificent in the game.
‘He’s got the ability to isolate people and today he was really sharp, he looked strong and fingers crossed we can keep him fit.
‘In training he’s a good finisher in training. He’s better than the majority but I was just so pleased when he put it away, it capped a brilliant performance.’
There was a noticeable change in pace in the second 45 minutes of the encounter, with no more goals being added to the tally and the team saw out the result.
Heath said he told his players to remain solid at the back despite the 4 goal advantage over their visitors.
‘At half time I told them it was important not to give them an early goal, and give them something to hang onto. It’s very difficult when you’re 4-0 to defend at times,’ the former North Ferriby United gaffer added.
‘The game should be finished at half time. We just shut the game to bed.
‘We limited them to very little, I think we had more chances than them so it’s not like we sat back.
‘Even in the run when we weren’t winning games it wasn’t for lack of effort, not this lot.’
Watch the full interview on Shaymen TV right now along with interviews with Scott McManus and Josh MacDonald
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