FC Halifax Town manager Billy Heath acknowledges his team got a lucky escape at Matlock Town in the Buildbase FA Trophy on Saturday and hopes to finish the job at the second attempt in his side’s replay tomorrow evening, 7.45pm kick-off.
Alex Simmons’ strike ten minutes from time salvaged a draw for the Shaymen who were second best for large periods of the game down in Derbyshire, and the boss expects his team to come out with a spirited performance in front of the home crowd.
“It’s time now for people to be brave.
“We didn’t really play well throughout the first game. The pleasing thing is we’ve got another chance at it – they looked busier than us for a lot of the match and we need to learn from the mistakes we made.”
It’s been another blip of inconsistency for the Shaymen recently – the result against the Gladiators followed an eventful and disappointing 4-2 defeat at the hands of Curzon Ashton, and with their defence of the FA Trophy preceding a huge FA Cup Second Round clash at Eastleigh, it is imperative that form and confidence is restored quickly.
“It’s been a bit of a slump but the football at the weekend was poor from us.
“We were only ten days from our great win against Dagenham & Redbridge which is why it came as a surprise – we need to step up, whoever we’re playing against.
“The FA Trophy is priority at the moment, as this competition brings our next game. We need to get out there on the front foot like we’ve been doing a lot this season.”
Heath recognises that Matlock will be just as determined – if not more – to claim a ‘big scalp’ in the shape of Halifax but insists his side will be focused throughout to claim the right result.
“We played a tough game in pre-season, drawing 2-2. We know what they can offer and if we play to our full potential, we can win the game.”
Kevin Roberts is likely to be out, however Jake MacDonald is likely to retain his place following his stand out performance at the weekend, with Tom Nicholson in line to keep his place in goal. Cliff Moyo is in contention to start once more, with the possibility of slight rotation ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup 2nd Round trip to Eastleigh.
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