Barnet 0-0 FC Halifax Town: "I think there's loads of positives" says Town boss Wild

The Shaymen failed to score for the first time in five games, but created some good chances and were the better side.

"I thought we dominated the game, we controlled it," Wild said. "The weather conditions were probably not conducive to the way we play because we like to move the ball around, but I thought we dealt well with it.

"We've had five or six really good opportunities, which in previous games have been going in, but today I thought the keeper was fantastic for them, they've been resolute in their defending, and it's just not gone in the net.

"But we're coming away from here saying we've had five or six good chances, we've controlled the game, we never looked stretched, we looked dominant, so I think there's loads of positives. Any point you get on the road is a good point."

When asked if he thought it was a point gained rather than two points dropped, Wild said: "100 per cent. We've just been to two teams who've just changed their managers, on the road, and got four points out of six, we should be over-the-moon."

It is now three clean sheets in a row for Town too.

"We've not looked stretched in any way, shape or form, we haven't looked like we're going to run out of gas, we looked strong at the end," Wild said.

"I think they're really good traits of a solid team."

Wild had to contend with several players being unavailable for the game too.

"At seven o'clock yesterday morning I had two on the bench," he said.

"Fair play to the chairman, he frantically let me bring a loan in, and then we promoted one of the youth team up, which is great.

"One thing I've got this year is more strength-in-depth, and the young players are taking their opportunity.

"You look at the average age of the team at the end of the game, it's 22. It can only bode well for the future."

Loanee Elliot Newby made his debut for Town as a second-half substitute.

"You saw in the 25 minutes Elliot was on the quality he brings in terms of his deliveries in the box, his set-piece deliveries, how he runs with the ball," Wild said.

"He's a Halifax sort of player.

"We just felt we could add somebody who's not a kid, who knows the level.

"I turned down the opportunity on Wednesday, and frantically rang Stockport yesterday and asked them if the offer was still available.

"So we're dead pleased to have Elliot on board. He'll only bring quality to our front-line."

And on youth team player Reon Donker, who was an unused sub, Wild said: "Reon's a good young talent. He did his first year scholarship at Stockport, left there to come to us.

"He's been training with us and done really well, he's applied himself in a really good way and he deserved an opportunity.

"The easy thing to do would be to go with four subs but we don't do that here, we promote from within, we promote our youth set-up and make sure our youth players get the opportunity they deserve."

Matty Warburton was ruled out of the game through injury.

"He's just had a tight quad and he just couldn't strike fully enough with his left foot, so we don't want to overstretch that," Wild said.

Javid Swaby-Neavin and Martin Woods were both ill, as was Gerry McDonagh, who came off the bench.

"It's that time of year when the weather changes and all those illnesses that didn't exist last year, because kids are all back in school, they're all picking them up again," said Wild.

On Luke Summerfield and Jesse Debrah, Wild said: "Summers is waiting on an injection on his knee, so we'll get that done, then he'll need 48 hours and he'll be back in.

"Jesse still feels sore, we just can't get him at 100 per cent, which is frustrating."

And on striker Jack Vale, who will miss Town's next two games because of international duty, Wild said: "Jack's got concussion from the challenge from the goalkeeper last week against Aldershot, he hasn't trained all week.

"He goes away with Wales under 21s tomorrow for the rest of the week, he's got two qualifying games against Moldova and the Netherlands, both away."

Wild said it wasn't clear yet whether loanees Vale and Newby would be able to play for Town in the FA Cup the Saturday after next.

The Town boss hopes three or four of the players who were unavailable today would be available for Tuesday's game with Notts County.