FC Halifax Town 5-2 Barnet: "It's another step in the right direction" says Town boss Wild

The Shaymen went 5-0 up in the game through goals from Jeff King, Nyal Bell, Jake Hyde, Jack Earing and Martin Woods before Barnet got two consolation goals to add a layer of respectability to the scoreline.

"It's another step in the right direction," said Wild.

"I keep coming out and saying 'we know what we're about, we know what we want to do'.

"Across the evening, yet again, you've seen some great examples of how we want to play this season, and our style of play that keeps coming out in games.

"Tonight we've gone and scored some goals that meets our style of play."

When asked what pleased him most about his side's performance, Wild said: "Our intensity, and because we were so intense, that's probably why we maybe dropped off (for the) last 15, 29 minutes, because we'd given so much intensity to the first part of the game.

"The way we moved the ball, and the variety of goals we've scored.

"I'm over the moon that Jake Hyde's got his first goal, and barring offside, could have had a hat-trick. I'm really pleased that Belly's got off the mark tonight.

"Just the variety of goals and who they came from. The last two days on the training ground, what we've worked on have coincided with the goals tonight.

"I think you've seen snippets of it across the first 10 games of how we want to play and how we want to go about our business.

"Is it perfect? No, but what is perfect? Define perfect.

"We're all now focused on Weymouth on Saturday, keeping moving in the right direction and keeping trying to implement our style of play on the opposition."

When asked if the manner of the victory had reinforced his belief Town were on the right track, Wild said: "I don't need convincing. Me and the staff and the players, we know what we're capable of, we know we're still a work in progress.

"But I think you're seeing week after week some really entertaining stuff, it's entertaining me, and to get the goals to go with it tonight is really pleasing."

Wild didn't think the performance was his side's best of the season so far though.

"No, I thought we're far better than that. We gave the ball away too much and we didn't defend well enough in the second-half," he said.

"You'll find it hard to get it perfect, but it's a step in the right direction.

"We wanted goals, we've worked all this week on that over-the-halfway-line area and the pleasing thing for coaches is when you work on something and they go and deliver it.

"What this group has got is character and maturity, and for me, character means not what's gone before, it's about what you do about it and that's what the boys are doing.

"We go and put in such a good performance at Sutton on Saturday, and on Monday morning, you'd think they'd had four days off, the tempo on Monday was ridiculous, it was through-the-roof.

"That shows what group of men I've got, and they deserve all the plaudits tonight the players. I thought they were excellent, and I'm so proud of them because they turn up day-in, day-out and what we ask them to do, they go and implement and they put their own sprinkling of creativity on the top.

"I can't ask for more than that."

Hyde notched his first goal for the club in the win.

"Jake Hyde's a quality centre forward, he's proven at this level," Wild said.

"When you move to a new club it's always tough to get your first goal, but when you do you're off and running.

"I thought his all-round play was probably the best it's been tonight, his hold-up play.

"But he's been injured and it takes a bit of time to come back from injury and as a forward, when you're not scoring goals - he lives in the club house so all he does is think about the ifs, buts and maybes.

"I'm really pleased for everybody tonight and he'll go home tonight and he'll be happy with his goal.

"He's getting in those areas, which pleases me."

King marked his return from a three-game ban with an outstanding performance at right wing-back.

"Jeff's become an integral part of this football team," Wild said.

"He's maturing week-by-week, he's listening to us, he's becoming a better footballer and he shows that.

"If you give Jeff time and space, he'll hurt you.

"What's pleasing now is he's adding goals to his game."

Midfielder Earing was another stand-out performer on the night.

"We've got some really good young players here, and Jack's a really good young player," said Wild.

"That tough bout of Covid he got really knocked him, and we're just trying to get him back to where he was before.

"But I've got so many players who I can rotate and put in now, I've got strength-in-depth for the first time, and that really pleases me.

"If I can keep my centre-forwards fit, that'll please me even more."

On the possibility of extending striker Bell's initial one-month loan, Wild said: "We've got a very good working relationship with Jim (Gannon) and Stockport County.

"The deal was 'let's see how it works for both parties and we'll take it from there'.

"He's here for an initial 28 days with a view that it could be extended should it work for all three parties.

"We've got another two or three weeks before that conversation."