FC Halifax Town 0-1 Ebbsfleet: Wild left "disappointed and frustrated" as Shaymen are beaten at home again

Gozie Ugwu's first-half goal condemned Town to their second home defeat in as many weeks after another poor performance from The Shaymen.

"Disappointed and frustrated in similar measures," said Wild on his team's display.

"We made one mistake and we've been hurt from it. Fair play to JB (Jerome Binnom-Williams), he's stuck his hand up in there.

"We all make mistakes in football, that's life. Show me somebody who's not made a mistake and I'll tell them they're a liar.

"We've had 80 per cent of the ball, we've dominated, we've created chance after chance, but we haven't been ruthless enough in the final third, we haven't played quick enough, we've not taken the shots that have been on offer to us.

"If you dominate both boxes, you win games, but we didn't dominate their box enough.

"We've had shot after shot first-half, block, block, block. But unfortunately we've not been able to break them down.

"Unfortunately a lot of teams come here and sit in and make it difficult for us and frustrate us. Another team's come and done that today."

Wild added: "There's only so much you can do. We tried to go three up-front.

"But I can't walk over that white line and play it for them.

"We can set-up how we're going to play all week, but they've got to go and implement that.

"What teams are doing at the moment is making it hard for us because we're a victim of our own success.

"But what we have to do is stick to the plan and work hard to find a way to break teams down."

Wild said the first goal in games is proving crucial, with Town rarely threatening to draw level after Ugwu's opener.

"Jack (Redshaw) and Devante (Rodney) are not finding their form at the moment, they've gone off the boil a little bit," Wild said.

"That's for me to address. But our forwards were on fire a few weeks ago, and thew team was on fire.

"But the importance of the first goal in this league is absolutely ridiculous. If you get the first goal you generally win, or you draw.

"When we gift them one, that doesn't help your cause because then you have to try and break them down."

Wild says the effort is there from his side, despite the results not coming.

"We've got a group of lads that is trying as hard as they can. But we're in a position that probably most of that dressing room, including myself, have never been in before," he said.

"It's nerves, they're making decisions they probably wouldn't have made two months ago.

"But it's not for want of trying, from all of us.

"We've had peaks and troughs this season, but let's not detract from the fact that it's still an excellent season.

"We're still in the play-offs with nine games to go so we're doing well.

"It was relegation favourites when I walked through the door, and the players have got themselves into a position where they're fighting for the play-offs.

"Alright, yeah, we couldn't get over the line today, but it wasn't for want of trying.

"But we've got to be better on the break, attacking teams, and have more purpose with the football in the final third."

The Town boss admits his side is low on confidence at the moment.

"That's for me to address," he said. "All week we've looked lively and sharp on the training ground, and then we've come here and looked a bit low on confidence.

"But it's not absolute disaster, let's all remember that. We've just got to keep going."

When asked how his side can get themselves out of their slump, Wild said: "Head down, work hard, like we did last time we went through a spell like this.

"Head down, mouth shut, work hard, and find a way to make sure we get over the line,"

On the absence of captain Matty Brown, Wild said: "He was struggling before the Woking game, and he got through that, but he hasn't trained since.

"We'll assess him for Tuesday night."

And on Cameron King and Jamie Allen, both of whom were not involved, the Town boss said: "They reported last night not feeling the greatest, so in the current climate, take no risks.

"We told them to stay away and we'l review that Monday morning.

"We don't think they've got the symptoms (of coronavirus)."