National League
Pete Wild says FC Halifax Town won’t under-estimate lowly Barnet at The Shay tomorrow.
The parallels are similar to the defeat to 19th-placed Maidenhead United in January and Wild says that although Barnet are on a run of four games without a win, they will pose a danger to his men.
“It is basically the same thing (as the Maidenhead game),” Wild told Non League Yorkshire.
“Barnet have certainly got a result in them.
“They nearly won at Torquay on Saturday and we don’t take anyone lightly.
“You can’t rest on your laurels and I firmly believe that’s the same on Saturday.
“We have to take each game as they come and give everyone the respect they deserve.
“When Dean (Brennan) took over they went on a right run and we had a tough game down there and it ended up 0-0.
“They are a tough team to overcome and they have a lot of good individual players who can dribble and drive.
“They are very good on the counter attack so we have to make sure they don’t counter on us and make sure their individuals who can dribble and drive don’t hurt us.
“You are probably going to see (a game where they sit back and wait to counter-attack) so we have to make sure we don’t offer them opportunities to do that.”
Halifax are on a huge high after claiming a point from the 1-1 draw at high-flying Notts County in midweek despite playing with ten men for 55 minutes after Jack Senior’s controversial red card for a second bookable offence.
In other interviews Wild described the performance as “outstanding” and he said the point showed his side’s steel.
“It was a really good football match until the liner made a ridiculous decision (with the Senior red card),” he said.
“It became towards half-time a backs-to-the-wall game and yeah second half they had all the ball.
“We got a good structure and shape about us and we just knew what areas we needed to protect and we let them have the ball in the areas we weren’t too fussed about.
“I think it is another example of who we are and what we are about.
“People will be expecting us as the season goes to be falling away.
“Even when we go down to ten men we have the character to bed in and hold on and get a very valuable point on the road.
“It ranks as another big result, I wouldn’t say it ranks as anything else.
“We have now been to Boreham Wood, Grimsby, Chesterfield and now Notts County and we have picked up a point at all those venues which is fantastic.
“They’re the bigger teams in our league and the teams who have the financial clout and to be mixing it with them on their own turf is massive.”
Wild was unimpressed over the red card.
“The referee did very well to stay strong (until the red card),” he said.
“Every tackle we made their crowd was up trying to get fouls and bookings for our players.
“Unfortunately the liner caved in.
“He said he had blocked his man and he didn’t.
“The video clearly shows he didn’t but you can’t appeal two yellows so there’s nothing we can do.”
Halifax fans can breath a sigh of relief as Bradford City have appointed Mark Hughes as their new manager.
Wild was touted as a contender after Derek Adams was sacked, just as he was with the Chesterfield job following James Rowe’s exit.
To some, the speculation would be an unwelcome distraction but Wild says it is a compliment.
“If I’m getting linked to jobs it means the boys on-the-pitch are doing excellently well and they are,” he said.
“That’s credit to everyone at the football club.
“It comes with the territory of doing well and it is nice to be linked and humbling to be linked with jobs.
“But we have always said all along that we want to continue the project we have started here.
“We think we have built a structure at the football club over two-and-half-years so we want to see the fruits of our labor and we’re excited to see it over the next few months.”