FC Halifax Town: Midfielder Spence back in contention for Bromley clash after injury, says Shaymen boss Wild

Spence hasn't played since the FA Trophy game at Alfreton on January 15 due to a hamstring injury.

But Town boss Pete Wild says Spence is now fully fit and has returned to training this week.

Captain Niall Maher missed last Saturday's 3-1 win at Dagenham and Redbridge due to an ankle injury he sustained in the defeat to Boreham Wood on January 25.

"Niall's touch and go for the weekend," Wild said.

"We had him x-rayed on Tuesday to make sure there was no break in the bone."

Striker Matty Stenson wasn't involved in Tuesday's West Riding County Cup defeat at Liversedge.

"That tackle against Eastleigh rattled him a little bit, for want of a better phrase," said Wild.

"We've had him scanned to make sure the knee's not re-injured, it's not and we now just need to get him into a position where he can be back out and playing."

Midfielder Kieran Green is still in his protective boot after his ankle injury, and Wild says he is waiting for the swelling going down before an assessment can be made.

Town's opponents on Saturday have won their last five games in a row, and are level on points with Halifax having played one match less.

"We know they'll try and use their physical presence, we know they're a threat on set-pieces, and we know we're going to have to defend our own box really well because that's where they're scoring their goals from," Wild said.

"That's something that's got them real success this year so we know what their threats are, we've got to counter their threats and then use our ability to hurt teams with the football to exploit them."

Wild has called for patience from the Town fans on Saturday.

"I think it's going to be one of those games and I think I'd stress to the fans that you'll need to be patient on Saturday, you'll need to get behind us and help us because it'll be a tight contest, a bit like Maidenhead and Boreham Wood, where we'll have to be patient and we'll have to pick our moments," he said.

"We'll have to defend well, and when those moments arrive, we'll have to take them.

"So it'll be one of those games on Saturday that'll be nip-and-tuck, very edgy and we'll need to manage the game properly."

But Wild says he and his players are looking forward to the match.

"We should do, if you can't get yourself up for one of these games then you struggling aren't you," he said.

"They're the games we want to be involved in, they're the games we have wanted to be involved in all season and we'll go into it full of confidence off the back of last week and wanting to replicate what we did at Dagenham last week.

"We've had a week to prepare as well so we'll be fresh-legged, fresh minds and hopefully be able to give the levels we gave at Dagenham last weekend."

The Town boss added that two or three of the side that started at Liversedge on Tuesday have boosted their claims for a starting place against Bromley.

"It was a cobbled together team of players. If you were to put a phrase around the team it would be 'players who needed a game', so I'm really pleased to get people minutes, get people up to speed and where they need to be in a competitive game," Wild said.

"There were certainly two or three lads who came out of the game with credit and gave me something to think about."