FC Halifax Town v Grimsby Town – No easy nights as Shaymen eye points on the board

At the Shay this evening a top-of-the-table side on a six-match unbeaten run host a team that has only played once since December 11.
TOUGH NIGHT AHEAD: FC Halifax Town coach, Pete Wild anticipates a serious test from Grimsby Town at The Shay on Tuesday  Picture: Bruce RollinsonTOUGH NIGHT AHEAD: FC Halifax Town coach, Pete Wild anticipates a serious test from Grimsby Town at The Shay on Tuesday  Picture: Bruce Rollinson
TOUGH NIGHT AHEAD: FC Halifax Town coach, Pete Wild anticipates a serious test from Grimsby Town at The Shay on Tuesday Picture: Bruce Rollinson

One thing FC Halifax Town manager Pete Wild knows for sure, however, is that his team will not have it easy against Grimsby Town.

The Mariners are one of only two teams to take points off the Shaymen in their undefeated sequence when Kian Spence’s late equaliser rescued a 1-1 draw for them on January 3.

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Wild took that as proof Halifax cannot expect a soft touch in this evening’s all-ticket game.

“We’ve played them very recently so there’s plenty we can learn from it,” he said. “But we know it’s going to be a very tough game.

“Last time we thought their levels wouldn’t be up to where they might be and they showed that wasn’t the case, so I expect them to be fresh at the Shay.”

While some teams have been inactive in the Conference lately Halifax have made the most of their game-time. With Chesterfield and Boreham Wood otherwise engaged in the FA Cup at the weekend, a 4-0 win at Eastleigh took Wild’s men top again.

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The Spireites are not in action again until Saturday, and third-placed Bromley are not due to play in the league until January 22 so although they will be racking up the games in hand, the Shaymen can apply a bit of scoreboard pressure.

“The lads have done unbelievably well and if they continue to keep the levels up who knows where it can take us but we go into this game with confidence,” said Wild, who is looking to boost, not weaken his squad in this month’s transfer window.

“It’s a bit like last season where the games are all over the place and that’s why we’re not getting carried away by our position in the league. But if we can just keep on picking up (an average of) two points a game, we’ll leave everybody else to catch up.

“We’re confident in our recruitment and that the young players we give a chance to won’t let us down. It seems to have worked for us this season.”

Meanwhile, Halifax’s league home game against Boreham Wood will be shown live on BT Sport at 7.45pm on January 25.

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