FC Halifax Town: “Keep it up”, urges boss Wild ahead of Solihull test

The Shaymen have made a superb start to the season, gaining 16 points from a possible 21, including back-to-back wins over Fylde and Barrow over the Bank Holiday weekend.

But Solihull, the division’s highest scorers with 16 goals from seven games, could be their toughest test yet, having finished second in the National League last term.

Strikers Paul McCallum and Nathan Blissett already have eight goals between them this season, with Solihull drawing at Harrogate on the opening day of the campaign before recording four consecutive victories.

But they have lost their last two games in a row, 2-0 at Woking and then 2-1 at home to Eastleigh.

“They’re the so-called team to beat,” said Wild. “They’ve done really well last season, and we’re going to make sure our run continues.

“We go in with bags of confidence but that can’t become arrogance because that’s when you get slapped in the face.

“It’s a long season, we’re only seven games in, but let’s just keep working hard and see where it takes us.

“We’re winning football matches so we’re in a good place, but you’re at your most vulnerable when you’re doing well because there’s always another game around the corner and we’ve got to make sure we approach it with cautious optimism.”

Wild feels the Town squad are not the type of players to become over-confident.

“They’re not but we’ve got to make sure I lead from the top and make sure everybody remains grounded and just keep working as hard as we can.”

The game is Town’s eighth and final match of a hectic August, but is followed by a trip to Chesterfield on Tuesday night.

“We’re a week behind everyone else pre-season wise so we’re always going to tire,” Wild said of his team’s performance at Barrow.

“We’ve got a young group and we’re putting everything in to every game at the moment.

“I’ll be happy when the fixture list chills out a bit and we can really drive forward with what we need to do.”

Wild said his side were ahead of their August points target.

“We’ve won in two different ways and it shows we can win in different ways,” he said of their latest two results. “Across the season we’ll need to do that.”

Wild said winger Danny Williams will be back in contention for Saturday’s game with Solihull.

On striker Dayle Southwell, Wild said: “Dayle’s had a full week on the grass and he’ll continue his rehab for the next two to three weeks, and hopefully we can get him back in with the group sooner rather than later.”

Midfielder Niall Maher was due to be assessed this week as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Halifax have won all three home games so far this season, and Wild is determined to make The Shay something of a fortress.

“You’ve got to make your home ground somewhere where teams don’t want to come,” he said.

“Look at Barrow, they make it tough for you, and we’ve got to make our place tough to go to, and we will do.”

When asked what he wants to see from his side on Saturday, Wild said: “Working as hard as we can, and when we get the ball, expressing ourselves in the way we’ve been doing.”