FC Halifax Town v Chesterfield: This match is a whole new ball game, says Pete Wild

Some managers try to convince their players play-offs are just another game, but Halifax Town’s Pete Wild has gone out of his way to draw a line between the 44 matches of the Conference 
campaign and the knockout football which begins at the Shay tonight.

Fourth-placed Halifax host seventh-placed Chesterfield in a one-off play-off eliminator.

The winners are at Solihull Moors on Sunday, and the final at the London Stadium on June 5.

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Wild has tried to draw a distinction not so much to psyche his players up, more to allow a breather before preparing fully.

Promotion hope: FC Halifax Town manager Pete Wild.
Picture: Bruce RollinsonPromotion hope: FC Halifax Town manager Pete Wild.
Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Promotion hope: FC Halifax Town manager Pete Wild. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

The players had the first three days of last week off, but Sunday was spent in a local hotel.

“It helped to try and detach the play-offs from the league and come back with fresh minds,” explained Wild.

“Training yesterday looked sharp and energetic and these nine days have allowed us to get a couple of more bodies back and get some more strength in depth.

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“We just want to make sure we plan appropriately. We wanted to take them out of their daily lives and leave no stone unturned.

Finished seventh: Chesterfield manager Paul Cook. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)Finished seventh: Chesterfield manager Paul Cook. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
Finished seventh: Chesterfield manager Paul Cook. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

“We’ve done everything we can to prepare for the game.

“It’s been a great season but as I said to the players, it’s done now, we finished where deserved to and now it’s about the one-off nights where the team who implements their game model the best and makes the least mistakes – because there’ll be mistakes – and takes their chances will be the team that does all right.

“Most of the games I can spin a yarn that we’re the underdog but I don’t think we are going into this one, we’re very level – they’ve got some top players, we’ve got some top players.”

But whilst Wild thinks the breathing space will help tonight, the play-off winners will be at a big disadvantage given the regular League Two season ended on May 7. Bradford City have already made three signings.

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“We looked very tired at the end of the season and it helps to get some more energy back into our players but the play-offs punish the teams that do well because the team that gets to the end of it has got a ridiculous turn-around to try to get a team ready for the Football League,” he argued.