FC Halifax Town 1-1 Notts County: "It was the least we deserved" says Wild after last-gasp equaliser

Jamie Allen's last-gasp equaliser rescued a point for Town after Eli Sam's early goal looked to have given County the win.

"It was the least we deserved," said Wild. "I thought I'd be saying 'we're so near yet so far again'.

"It was a mistake for their goal, Tom (Bradbury) has got the wrong side, and that puts you on the back foot.

"But what you're seeing at the moment is character, strength-in-character and strength-in-depth to keep going at teams.

"We penned Notts County in for large periods of the game and dominated the football.

"I think it shows the quality the group's got, shows the attitude, character and desire the group's got.

"Do we need to be better in the final third? Yes, we can't create that many chances and not start putting them in the back of the net.

"We can't get to the final third and the cross not be good enough.

"That is an area we need to get better in but we've had chance after chance again tonight and you think 'what do we need to do to score a goal?'

"But we keep going and we keep going, and scoring in the 94th minute shows you everything about this group, that we don't give up, we keep going and the worm's hopefully turning now.

"I have no doubts how much quality I've got in this side. Neal Ardley said to me at the end 'you're a far better team than you were last year' and that's very pleasing because I see Neal as a mentor to me and for Neal to say that shows and proves that I've made the right decisions in the summer and I've brought the right players in."

When asked what pleased him most about his side's performance, Wild said: "Just our relentless attitude. At half-time I said 'we're not bumping enough numbers up into their half'.

"Our performance plan is about getting numbers into their half to break teams down and we weren't doing that.

"But you ask them to do it at half-time and, boom, 'not a problem gaffer', straight away, they do it.

"We wanted runs beyond the ball. They do it.

"Everything that's within our performance plan I think you're seeing week in, week out.

"I think our style of play is there for everybody to see and I think we're really good to watch.

"But what pleases me most is the willingness when asked to do things that will help change the game, and their belief in us that what we're telling them is right, and their willingness to go and try it and execute it.

"There's nothing more humbling as a coach than when players do that for you."

Wild says the result shows his side is progressing.

"I've just said 'you've got to believe that result is you and your character and your never-say-die attitude'.

"The feeling we had at quarter to ten last week, having nine men but basically nullified Wealdstone, to the feeling we had at quarter to ten this week, knowing that we've dominated probably one of the best sides in the league, is pleasing.

"It shows we're on the right track and we've got to keep going.

"That's a point gained tonight. We got comprehensively beaten by them here last year, and it shows that we're on the right track and we're moving forward."

Wild said the result will give his players added belief.

"Results create buy-in for fans and players. I've got the buy-in from the players, I've got no idea if I've got the buy-in from the fans because I don't go on social media and I don't read anything that goes on," he said.

"But I'd like to think that the team I've got out this year is night and day compared to the one last year, which did very well to get in the play-offs.

"We are dominating games now, but with quality.

"We know we need to try and put the ball in the back of the net better and be better in the final third, but if that's the only thing we need to be better at then I'll take that at this stage."

Striker Jake Hyde was substituted with 20 minutes to go, but Wild is confident his forward will start finding the net, and praised his skipper Nathan Clarke.

"Jake's his worst critic, which doesn't help him," Wild said. "He played up front on his own for two years at Woking, we had him working as a two in pre-season and thought we were getting there but the injury put him back a bit.

"But Jake's a quality player, he'll be fine.

"But I think I showed tonight I'm not afraid to make the big decisions and if I feel like we need to bring our number nine off, then I will.

"I also think it would be remiss of me not to mention the skipper, who I think has been immense in the first eight games of the season.

"He maybe sometimes doesn't get the credit he deserves, but I thought he nullified Kyle Wootton, who is probably the best striker in the league, absolutely nullified him.

"I can't speak highly enough of the skipper, how he is around the dressing room, how he supports me and how he implements the messages on the pitch.

"I'm really proud of him and the boys tonight."