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

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.

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

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.

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

“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.

“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.