FC Halifax Town 1-1 Boreham Wood: I think we deserved to win, says assistant boss Hughes

Dayle Southwell equalised for Town after Justin Shaibu had given Boreham Wood a third-minute lead.

But Halifax created the better chances on the night, with Southwell missing other good opportunities and Jordan Preston and Mekhi McLeod also going close.

“I think we deserved the win,” Hughes said. “Losing the early goal was a setback but, having had that happen to us, the players showed good character to get up and running again.

“As the game progressed, certainly up to half-time, we got better and better. The front four were effective, they got on the ball, and we had some good link play between them.

“That ended up with us having numerous chances, good chances. But having gone a goal down, it’s always good to get that goal to get you back in and take a bit of pressure off us.

“On the balance of play, going in at half-time, we should have been in the lead, we weren’t, but we could have been comfortable leaders with the chances we had.

“Half-time broke our momentum. We didn’t want it to stop.

“The manager went through some tactical play with them, we went out and it was a bit of a slow start for us, but I still think we were on top throughout that second-half.

“We had other chances, Jordan hit the post, Mekhi had good opportunities and created good space, and I thought we looked good going forward all game.

“I think the midfield has looked better in the last couple of games, we’ve kept possession, we’ve got forward passes, and as always, our back four and goalkeeper have been solid.”

Hughes said Town showed good character to respond after conceding so early on.

“We’re setting up to set the tempo, pass forward, run forward, get shots on target and try to take the lead,” he said.

“When you get sucker-punched like we did, it’s a question of character then and we have that in abundance.

“If you look at Dagenham and Barrow and tonight, there were adverse conditions there - the sending-off at Dagenham, the horrendous weather at Barrow and going 1-0 down here - but we’ve had three results, two draws and a win.

“That’s all positive stuff.

“We’ve got players coming back, and we need those back. Once we get the group back together then I think we’ve got a good set-up, maybe with the odd addition.

“But I think we’re doing OK at the moment.”

Shaibu was quickest to react to head in Gozie Ugwu’s right-wing cross, beating Town’s defenders to the ball.

“Nobody’s happy with any goal,” Hughes said, “but you want your defenders to defend and you want to stop crosses, and when they come in you want them to head them out and clear them.

“It caught us a bit cold, but once we recovered from being a bit stunned for five or 10 minutes, I think we had the confidence to kick on and we should have won the game.”

Hughes was left to rue two points that got away.

“It’s definitely an opportunity missed,” he added. “Yes, they are a good side, but you’ve got to look at the balance of play.

“We thought at half-time there was something more in the game for us.

“We could have won it and we should have won it.”