FC Halifax Town resume their National League North campaign this Saturday when they welcome Tamworth to the MBi Shay Stadium, hoping to keep their unbeaten run going, and to stay top of the league table. After a 1-1 draw with Stockport County on Tuesday night, Billy Heath has still never seen his side slump to defeat and no doubt expects to see that continue when the Shaymen return to the pitch on the weekend.
Looking ahead to the game, we spoke to Scott Garner on what he expects to see on Saturday as well as what the squad took from the Stockport result.
Garner was overall pleased with the Tuesday game, but knows thereβs still slight room for improvementβ¦
βI think the most positive thing is how disappointed everyone was to come in drawing the game, rather than winning. The manager said itβs a good point away at Stockport, but the lads are disappointed we didnβt take three, so it shows what mindset weβre in. I think we made one mistake, a lot of our wingers shouldnβt be picking up from a set-piece. Apart from that, I thought we played exactly the right way at Stockport. I think we can raise our tempo again and move the ball a bit quicker. But I think we did everything right really. We went to a big club, drew 1-1, not a bad result, and we can go and try get three points this Saturdayβ
Tamworthβs two victories this season have both came with late goals giving the Lambs the three points. Scott is confident this wonβt be the case when the two teams clash at the Shayβ¦
βI donβt think we finish weak, I think we finish quite strong. I donβt think weβre going to switch off for anything against any team. Weβre such a strong team in this league, I think weβve just got to concentrate on our game a lot of the time, and weβll get the points and the wins that we deserve, thatβs the mindset we have going into gamesβ
He also expects a reaction from the visitors, but believes himself and his teammates will be too much to handle come kick-offβ¦
βYouβll expect the reaction. If you lose 3-0, youβre always guaranteed a reaction from a club. Itβs down to us, if we do it right on the day and work hard, I donβt think anyone can live with us in this league, so thatβs what weβre focusing on. Itβs a good result for Boston, glad to see them get off the mark with a win. We go into the games concentrating on our game, and weβre pretty sure weβve got too much for anyone in this league if we go about our business in the right wayβ
Garner also thinks his side have a great chance to keep the clubβs unbeaten run going and come away with the maximum pointsβ¦
βWe donβt like getting beat, weβve got a lot of winners and big characters on our team. Even at 1-1, the Stockport fans started making a lot of noise, they were coming onto us a bit, but we were never going to back down and get beat. I think weβre going to be a really hard team to beat and teams will be happy taking a point of us I think. Teams will be happy taking a point from us I think. The unbeaten run could go on all season couldnβt it, but if it doesnβt then we bounce back and go again in the next game, but we donβt like getting beat at all, so hopefully it doesnβt happen too oftenβ
And with the reward of league leaders coming with the unbeaten run, the morale and confidence boosts also give the squad a huge liftβ¦
βItβs massive to be on an unbeaten run, you go into games not expecting to lose, and you go in expecting to win. I think thatβs why we were so disappointed drawing the other night, because weβre used to winning, we donβt like anything less than three points. The unbeaten run is really important. Teams donβt expect to beat you, so as long as that can carry on, the better really. Itβs inevitable you will lose a game, but itβs the reaction to come back and win the next one thatβs important. Itβs important but itβs not massive factor in the season, but we do want to keep it going for as long as possibleβ
FC Halifax Townβs game with Tamworth is on Saturday at 3pm.
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